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2014 Driver Handbook
NCDOT.GOV/DMV C L A S S A THREE-POINT
TURNABOUT CHILD SAFETY WORK ZONE STAY ALERT
PROTECTING YOURSELF AND YOUR PASSENGERS
KEEP RIGHT SEAT BELTS ONE WAY TWO-SECOND RULE
STOP NO PASSING ZONE YIELD NO RIGHT TURN
SHARE THE ROAD
FENDER BENDER NO LITTERING
MOVE OVER
THINK BIKE NO-ZONE
DO NOT ENTER NO BICYCLES L E F T T U R N O N LY THRU & LEFT
ONE WAY NO U TURNS SIGNAL AHEAD LANE DROPDIVIDED
HIGHWAY DEER CROSSING MERGING TRAFFIC LOW CLEARANCE
RIGHT TURN FARM MACHINERY SIDE ROAD DIVIDED HIGHWAY
ENDS NO PASSING ZONE CURVE RIGHT HILL SLIPPERY WHEN WET
BIKE CROSSING STOP AHEAD WINDING ROAD SOFT
SHOULDER CROSS ROAD SCHOOL CROSSING
NCDOT.GOV/DMV C L A S S A THREE-POINT
TURNABOUT CHILD SAFETY WORK ZONE STAY ALERT
PROTECTING YOURSELF AND YOUR PASSENGERS
KEEP RIGHT SEAT BELTS ONE WAY TWO-SECOND RULE
STOP NO PASSING ZONE YIELD NO RIGHT TURN
SHARE THE ROAD
FENDER BENDER NO LITTERING
MOVE OVER
THINK BIKE NO-ZONE
DO NOT ENTER NO BICYCLES L E F T T U R N O N LY THRU & LEFT
ONE WAY NO U TURNS SIGNAL AHEAD LANE DROPDIVIDED
HIGHWAY DEER CROSSING MERGING TRAFFIC LOW CLEARANCE
RIGHT TURN FARM MACHINERY SIDE ROAD DIVIDED HIGHWAY
ENDS NO PASSING ZONE CURVE RIGHT HILL SLIPPERY WHEN WET
BIKE CROSSING STOP AHEAD WINDING ROAD SOFT
SHOULDER CROSS ROAD SCHOOL CROSSING
RIGHT TURN FARM MACHINERY SIDE ROAD DIVIDED HIGHWAY
ENDS NO PASSING ZONE CURVE RIGHT HILL SLIPPERY WHEN WET
BIKE CROSSING STOP AHEAD WINDING ROAD SOFT
SHOUNLDOER CRROTSSH RO ACD SAC HROOO LL CIRNO SAS I N G
DRIVER’S HANDBOOK
1
State of North Carolina
Department of Transportation
Division of Motor Vehicles
Dear Fellow Motorist:
As you earn your North Carolina driver license, you will be joining more than
seven million licensed drivers across the state. Your preparation and practice
will enable you to travel to places of uncommon beauty and diversity across
this state.
Remember, please, that you also are responsible for driving by the rules of
the road and for keeping vigil over other drivers and dangers around you. By
obeying the traffic laws and looking out for your fellow traveler, you can help
prevent the 214,000 crashes and 1,300 fatalities we have on our highways
each year.
This handbook was written to help prepare you for the driver license
examination. It offers valuable safe driving techniques which will help keep you
out of harm’s way. If you need additional assistance, contact your nearest driver
license office or go online to www.ncdot.gov/dmv.
Safe driving,
Pat McCrory
Governor
Anthony J. Tata
Secretary of Transportation
2 3
State of North Carolina
Department of Transportation
Division of Motor Vehicles
Dear Fellow Motorist:
When you earn the privilege of driving in North Carolina, you are responsible
for your life and the lives of others who travel our highways. As responsible
drivers, it is up to each of us to do our part to help make our roads safe for the
millions of citizens who travel them, whether by car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle
or foot.
Please use this driver handbook to learn and reinforce your safe and defensive
driving techniques. Make yourself familiar with the motor vehicle laws of our
state and the ways you can improve your driving.
As you prepare for the driver license examination, we invite you to contact
DMV or your nearest driver license office if you need additional assistance. You
can find the locations of North Carolina driver license offices and other helpful
information on our website at www.ncdot.gov/dmv.
Remember to drive safely and obey the rules of the road. With your help, we can
keep North Carolina’s highways safe.
Sincerely,
Kelly J. Thomas
Commissioner of Motor Vehicles
DMVdirectAccess
automated information by telephone
DMVdirectAccess is a convenient way to obtain information about driver licenses
and vehicle registration from the North Carolina Department of Transportation
(NCDOT) Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Dial (919) 715-7000 from a
touch-tone telephone, and access information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
DMVdirectAccess gives you the facts about:
• Driver licenses, learner permits, motorcycle license endorsements, commercial
driver licenses (CDLs) and special identification cards;
• Personalized information you should know about points against your driver
license, your driving record and the status of your driver license;
• Medical and vision forms, exam cycles, records and hearings;
• Vehicle registration, duplicate titles, lost or stolen license plates, personalized
and vanity license plates and handicapped placards; and
• Liability insurance and more.
DMVdirectAccess also includes information about driver license and vehicle
registration taxes and fees. By entering your zip code, the system can give you
the location of a driver license or vehicle registration office in your area.
DMV Information (919) 715-7000
Other DMV Telephone Listings:
Traffic Records Section. . (919) 861-3062
International Registration Plan (IRP) Section . (919) 861-3720
School Bus and Traffic Safety. . (919) 861-3109
4 5
DMV on the Web www.ncdot.gov/dmv
The NCDMV website focuses on providing North Carolina’s motorists with
timely and accurate information regarding NCDMV services and issues.
The site answers your most frequently asked questions and includes up-to-date
directories of all DMV offices statewide. A simple click of your mouse
allows you to e-mail us directly from the site. You will also find news about
new legislation and other requirements affecting North Carolina motorists.
Publications and forms are also available online.
Duplicate Driver License/Duplicate
Identification Card on the Web
A duplicate driver license/duplicate identification card may be requested online
at www.ncdot.gov/dmv, provided that DMV has your last image on file and
a valid social security number or a document issued by the United States
government indicating legal presence. Click “Online Services,” then click on
the “Duplicate Driver License/Duplicate Identification Card” link. A duplicate
driver license/identification card may be requested for the following reasons:
• To replace a lost or stolen license/identification card;
• To change a residence and/or mailing address; or
• To replace a license/identification card that is defaced or damaged.
A fee of $10 is charged. At the present time, a Mastercard, Discover or Visa credit
card or debit card may be used to pay the fee. A duplicate license/identification
card with the most recent photo available in our computer system will be mailed
to the customer. Customers with a suspended license or outstanding debt with
DMV are not eligible for this service.
Transportation Alternatives
For many North Carolinians, operating a vehicle may be too costly, inconvenient
or dangerous. The North Carolina Department of Transportation wants you to
know there are many transportation alternatives to driving. In our society,
we often overlook our options to walk, ride a bicycle, carpool and use public
transportation.
Public transportation could be your best alternative to driving. Some form
of public transportation is available in most areas of the state. In the larger
metropolitan areas, there are bus systems that operate on regular routes. Smaller
rural areas may provide coordinated van services for citizens. In either case,
public transportation is available and equipped to accommodate persons with
disabilities.
To learn more about public transportation options in your area, call:
N.C. Department of Transportation
Public Transportation Division
(919) 733-4713
Chapter 1 — Your License 7
Getting Your Original License..............................................................................7
Learner Permit.....................................................................................................7
Motorcycle Learner Permit...................................................................................7
Test Requirements for an Original Driver License................................................8
Vision, Traffic Signs, Driving Knowledge, Driving Skills, Health Requirements,
Skills observed and graded during the on-the-road driving test, Three-Point
Turnabout
Types of Licenses, Permits and Restrictions..........................................................9
Regular Licenses, Commercial Licenses, Endorsements, Graduated Licensing—
Licensing for Drivers 15–18, The Provisional Licensee,
Thinking of Dropping Out?, Lose Control/Lose Your License, Restrictions
Required Documents.........................................................................................14
Proof of Age and Identity, Social Security Number Requirement, Proof of Residency
in North Carolina, No Fee Voter ID Cards, No Fee ID Cards, ID Cards, Deferred
Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Proof of Insurance
Moving to North Carolina.................................................................................20
North Carolina’s Driver License and Identification Card...................................21
Renewal and Duplicate Licenses........................................................................21
Renewal, Renewal By Mail (Temporary License), Military, Duration and
Renewal of License, Duplicate, Address Changes, Name Changes
Identification Cards...........................................................................................24
Schedule of Fees.................................................................................................24
Other Services....................................................................................................25
Voter Registration, Organ Donor Program, Selective Service System Registration,
Requirements for Sex Offender Registration Program
Chapter 2 — Alcohol and the Law 26
Driving While Impaired.....................................................................................26
DWI Laws, Blood Alcohol Concentration Restrictions
Alcohol and the Young Driver ...........................................................................27
Chapter 3 — Your Driving Privilege 29
Points.................................................................................................................29
Driver License Points, Insurance Points
Suspensions........................................................................................................31
Out-of-State Conviction, Failure to Appear and/or to Pay a Fine,
Provisional Licensee (under age 18)
Driver License Restoration.................................................................................34
Chapter 4 — Your Driving 35
Driver Safety......................................................................................................35
Driver Condition, Drowsy Driving, Distracted Driving,
Protecting Yourself and Your Passengers.............................................................38
Seat Belts, Child Safety, Child Seats, Booster Seats and Seat Belts for Children,
Children and Air Bags, Child Safety Points, Adult Safety Points, North Carolina
Motorcycle Safety Helmet Law, Law on Transporting Children in the Back of a
Pick-up Truck, Weather Risk
Table of Contents
6 Table of Contents 7
General Driving.................................................................................................41
The Driver and Pedestrian, Protecting Motorcyclists from Unsafe Movements,
School Buses, Emergency and Law Enforcement Vehicles, Safe Driving Around
Farm Equipment, Funeral Processions
Basic Driving Skills and Rules............................................................................46
Driving on Your Side of the Road, Adjusting Your Speed to Driving Conditions,
Rounding a Curve, Turning, Following, Changing Lanes, Passing, Backing,
Parking, Special Driving Situations, Single Point Interchange, Traffic Circles and
Roundabouts,Vehicle Equipment
Defensive Driving..............................................................................................58
Scanning, Communicating, Hand Signals
Hazardous Driving.............................................................................................60
Work Zones, Night Driving, Sun Glare, Rain, Hydroplaning, Driving in Flood
Conditions, Fog, Snow and Ice
Emergencies.......................................................................................................64
Brake Failure, Wet Brakes, Gas Pedal Sticks, Blowouts, Breakdowns, Unusual
Emergencies, Skids
Crashes...............................................................................................................67
Chapter 5 — Signals, Signs and Pavement Markings 69
Traffic Signals.....................................................................................................69
Flashing Signals, Left-Turn Traffic Signal Heads
Traffic Signs.......................................................................................................71
Regulatory, Warning, Guide/Informational
Pavement Markings............................................................................................76
Traffic Officers...................................................................................................76
Chapter 6 — Sharing the Road 77
Bicycles..............................................................................................................77
Pass with Care, Go with the Flow, Be Visible
You as a Pedestrian.............................................................................................79
Trucks and Other Vehicles.................................................................................79
No-Zones
Recreational Vehicles and Trailers.......................................................................80
Motorcycles and Mopeds...................................................................................80
Keeping the Road Litter-Free.............................................................................82
Adopt-A-Highway Program
Chapter 7 — How DMV Serves You 84
DMV Mobile Service Centers............................................................................84
Driver Records...................................................................................................84
Fees
Vehicle Registration............................................................................................85
Insurance and Financial Responsibility, Vehicle Registration Renewal,
Transfer of a Motor Vehicle, Transfer of License Plates, Replacement of Lost Title
or Registration Card
Tag & Tax Together...........................................................................................88
Vehicle Inspection..............................................................................................88
Window Tinting
Chapter 1
Your License
Driving is a legal privilege and responsibility. It is against the law to drive a
motor vehicle on streets and highways without a valid driver license. It is also
illegal to sit in the driver’s seat of a motor vehicle while the engine is running or
to steer a motor vehicle while it is being pushed or towed by another vehicle if
you do not have a valid driver license.
Getting Your Original License
Driver license examiners throughout the state are trained to test fairly and to
give prompt and courteous service. Most offices offer services from 8:00 a.m.
to 5:00 p.m. In larger cities and towns, the offices are open Monday through
Friday, and some are open Saturday mornings. Offices in smaller towns may
only be open for certain days each week. Appointments for driver license
examinations are available at most offices. Written tests must be completed by
4:30 p.m. No driving skills test will be initiated after 4 p.m. Contact your local
driver license office for more information.
Learner Permit
• Learner permits are available to persons age 18 and older.
• A learner permit authorizes the permit holder to drive a specified type or class
of motor vehicle while in possession of the permit.
• The permit holder must, while operating a motor vehicle over the highways,
be accompanied by a person who is licensed to operate the motor vehicle
being driven and is seated beside the permit holder.
• Required testing includes vision, traffic signs, and knowledge of motor vehicle
laws.
Motorcycle Learner Permit
• If an applicant is at least 16 years old but less than 18 years old, the applicant
must possess a full provisional license issued by the division. Parent or
guardian’s signature is required.
• If an applicant is 18 years old or older, the applicant must possess a license
issued by the division.
• The motorcycle learner permit authorizes a person to operate a motorcycle
without passengers.
• If an applicant is less than 18 years old, the applicant must successfully
complete the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Rider Course or the North
Carolina Motorcycle Safety Education Program Basic Rider Course.
• Vision;
• Knowledge of motor vehicle
laws;
• Traffic signs; and
• Driving skill (on-road test).
For an original driver license of any type, you may be tested on:
Chapter 1 — Your License
8 9
• The motorcycle learner permit is valid for 12 months and may be renewed for
one additional six-month period.
• Required testing includes vision, traffic signs, and the motorcycle knowledge
test.
Each driver license test must be passed separately. Applicants for a CDL Class
A, B or C license should study the required chapters of the CDL Handbook.
Applicants for a motorcycle endorsement or motorcycle learner permit should
study the Motorcycle Handbook. The CDL Handbook is available from the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. You may also obtain the CDL,
Regular and Motorcycle handbooks on the DMV website and at the local driver
license offices. Visit the DMV website at www.ncdot.gov/dmv.
Test Requirements
for an Original Driver License
Vision
Whether you are applying for a learner permit, an original license or a renewal
license, your vision must be checked to see that you meet certain standards. If
you need corrective lenses to bring your vision up to the required standards, you
must wear the lenses at all times while driving and your license will indicate a
restriction that you must wear corrective lenses. The penalty for driving without
the proper corrective lenses is the same as driving without a license.
Traffic Signs
All the information on the traffic signs test is in this handbook. To pass the
signs test, you must identify the traffic signs by color and shape and explain
what each means.
Driving Knowledge
The knowledge test is about traffic laws and safe driving practices. Audio tests
are available, upon request, for those who have difficulty reading.
Driving Skills
The driving test is an on-the-road demonstration of your driving ability. You
must perform this test after you have passed all the other tests. The first time
you apply for a license, you must take the driving test. You might also have to
take it to renew your license. It is not required for a learner permit. No driving
skills test will be initiated after 4 p.m.
During the on-the-road test, you will be given an opportunity to perform basic
driving patterns and to show your ability to drive safely with traffic.
Health Requirements
Individuals may not be licensed if they suffer from a mental or physical
condition that might keep them from driving safely. A person with a disability
may be issued a restricted license provided the condition does not keep them
from driving safely.
Chapter 1 — Your License
Skills observed and graded during the
on-the-road driving test:
• Approaches to intersections, stop signs and traffic signals;
• Quick stops — stopping as quickly and safely as possible
when told to do so;
• Backing;
• Stopping, starting and parking;
• Use of the clutch (in vehicles with standard transmissions);
• Turn signals and use of the horn;
• Turning;
• Use of lanes;
• Following another vehicle;
• Passing and being passed;
• Yielding the right of way to pedestrians and other vehicles;
• Driving posture; and
• Three-point turnabout.
Applicants for an original driver license must take the on-the-road
driving test; however, there are some cases when the
on-the-road test may not be required. No driving skills test
will be initiated after 4 p.m.
Types of Licenses, Permits
and Restrictions
North Carolina has a regular driver license and a commercial
driver license (CDL). The type of vehicle you will operate determines the class
of driver license you must have and the type vehicle in which you must take
the driving skills test. The driving skills test must be performed in a vehicle
representative of the class license desired.
Regular Licenses
Class A: Required to operate a combination of vehicles that is exempt from
CDL requirements when the towed unit has a gross vehicle weight rating
(GVWR) of 10,001 pounds or more.
Class B: Required to operate any single vehicle that is exempt from CDL
requirements with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more, and any such vehicle
towing a vehicle with a GVWR not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
Class C: Required to operate any noncommercial single vehicle with a GVWR
of less than 26,001 pounds; and a vehicle towing a vehicle which has a
combined GVWR of less than 26,001 pounds operated by a driver 18 years old
or older. Most drivers need only a Regular Class C license to operate personal
automobiles and small trucks.
Chapter 1 — Your License
TIP
Three-Point
Turnabout
(1) Start from
the extreme right
side of the road.
Look for other
traffic and if clear,
give a left signal
and proceed
forward slowly
while turning the
steering wheel
to the left. Stop
within several
inches of the left
curb or edge of
the street.
(2) Then proceed
backward slowly
while turning the
steering wheel to
the right. Stop
within several
inches of the right
curb or edge of
the street.
(3) Proceed
forward slowly
while turning the
steering wheel
to the left. This
should complete
your turnabout.
10 11
Commercial Driver License (CDL)
A CDL is required for drivers, paid or volunteer, who drive the following types
of vehicles that are designed or used to transport passengers or property:
Class A Motor Vehicle: A vehicle that has a combined GVWR of at least
26,001 pounds and includes as part of the combination a towed unit that has a
GVWR of at least 10,001 pounds.
Class B Motor Vehicle:
• A single motor vehicle that has a GVWR of at least 26,001 pounds.
• A combination of motor vehicles that includes as part of the combination a
towing unit that has a GVWR of at least 26,001 pounds and a towed unit that
has a GVWR of less than 10,001 pounds.
Class C Motor Vehicle: A single or combination of motor vehicles not included
in Class A or B but meets any of the following descriptions:
• Is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver; and
• Is transporting hazardous materials and is required to be placarded.
You do not need a CDL to drive recreational vehicles, military equipment,
fire and/or emergency equipment or certain farm vehicles. However, a regular
license of the appropriate class is required at all times.
A volunteer member of a fire department, rescue or emergency service (EMS) in
the performance of duty may operate a Class A, B or C fire-fighting, rescue or
EMS vehicle, or combination of these vehicles while holding either a “Regular”
A, B or C License.
A special CDL endorsement is required to haul hazardous materials, transport
passengers, drive school buses and school activity buses, pull double trailers or
drive tank vehicles. Additional information is in the CDL Handbook.
Endorsements
Motorcycle
A person must have a level three full provisional license with a motorcycle
endorsement or a motorcycle learner permit before being entitled to operate a
motorcycle on public roads.
School Bus/School Activity Bus
The driver of a school bus must be at least 18 years of age, have at least six
months driving experience and hold either a Class B or Class C CDL with an
“S” (school bus) and a “P” (passenger) endorsement along with a School Bus
Driver’s Certificate. To obtain a School Bus Driver’s Certificate, a person must
be specially trained and pass an examination administered by a Driver Education
Program Specialist which demonstrates the fitness and competency required to
operate the bus. The requirements for a driver of a public school activity bus are
the same. The requirements for the driver of a school activity bus are the same
except a School Bus Driver’s Certificate is not required.
NOTE: Pursuant to G.S. 20-37.14A, the Division shall not issue or renew a
commercial driver license reflecting a “P” or “S” endorsement to anyone required to
register under sex offender and public protection registration programs.
Chapter 1 — Your License
Graduated Licensing—Licensing for Drivers 15–18
Limited Learner Permit
If you are at least 15 years of age and have completed an approved driver
education course that meets North Carolina requirements and can present a
Driving Eligibility Certificate (issued by the public school system), or a high
school diploma or its equivalent, you may apply for a Level One Limited
Learner Permit to operate vehicles requiring a Class C License.
• You must be at least 15 years old but less than 18 years old and reside in North
Carolina.
• You must pass written, sign and vision tests.
• During the first six months, a level one permit authorizes you to drive between
the hours of 5 a.m. and 9 p.m., while accompanied by your supervising driver.
• Six months from level one issuance, you are eligible to drive anytime with a
supervising driver.
• You must hold this permit for 12 months prior to applying for a Limited
Provisional License.
• You will be given a Driving Log to be completed detailing a minimum of
60 hours of operation. Daytime or daylight driving can be performed from
sunrise to sunset and as long as daylight exists. Nighttime or night driving can
be performed after sunset and within the hours that sunlight or daylight does
not exist.
• All passengers must be restrained by seat belt or child safety seat.
• No one except the driver and the supervising driver are allowed in the front seat.
• You are not permitted to use a mobile telephone or other additional technology
associated with a mobile telephone while operating a motor vehicle on a
public street or highway or public vehicular area. Exception: You can use it to
call the following regarding an emergency situation: an emergency response
operator; a hospital, physician’s office or a health clinic; a public or privately
owned ambulance company or service; a fire department; a law enforcement
agency; your parent, legal guardian or spouse.
Note: Before graduating to level two, you must have no convictions of motor
vehicle moving violations or seat belt/mobile telephone infractions within the
preceding six months.
Supervising Driver: A supervising driver must be a parent, grandparent or
guardian of the permit/license holder, or a responsible person approved by the parent
or guardian. A supervising driver must hold a valid driver license and must have
been licensed for at least five years.
Level Two Limited Provisional License
• Drivers must be at least 16 years old, but less than 18.
• You may drive without supervision from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m. and at any
time when driving directly to or from work or any volunteer fire, rescue or
emergency medical service, if you are a member.
• You must hold this license at least six months prior to applying for a Full
Provisional License.
Chapter 1 — Your License
12 13
• You will be given a Driving Log to be completed detailing a minimum of 12
hours of operation. At least six hours must occur during nighttime hours.
Daytime or daylight driving can be performed from sunrise to sunset and
as long as daylight exists. Nighttime or night driving can be performed after
sunset and within the hours that sunlight or daylight does not exist. The log
must be signed by the supervising driver and submitted to the Division at the
time of application for the Full Provisional License.
• All passengers must be restrained by seat belt or child safety seat.
• Supervising driver must be seated beside the driver.
• The number of passengers allowed in the vehicle under the age of 21 is
restricted to ONE when the driver of the vehicle is the holder of a level II,
OR if all passengers under the age of 21 are members of the driver’s immediate
family or members of the same household as the driver, there is no “under 21”
limit. If the supervising driver is in the car, this restriction does not apply.
• You are not permitted to use a mobile telephone or other additional technology
associated with a mobile telephone while operating a motor vehicle on a
public street or highway or public vehicular area. Exception: You can use it to
call the following regarding an emergency situation: an emergency response
operator; a hospital, physician’s office, or a health clinic; a public or privately
owned ambulance company or service; a fire department; a law enforcement
agency; your parent, legal guardian or spouse.
Note: Before graduating to level three, you must have no convictions of motor
vehicle moving violations or seat belt/mobile telephone infractions within the
preceding six months.
Supervising Driver: A supervising driver must be a parent, grandparent or
guardian of the permit/license holder, or a responsible person approved by the parent
or guardian. A supervising driver must hold a valid driver license and must have
been licensed for at least five years.
Level Three Full Provisional License
• The restrictions on level one and level two concerning time of driving,
supervision and passenger limitations do not apply to a Full Provisional
License.
• If you are under the age of 18, you are not permitted to use a mobile telephone
or other additional technology associated with a mobile telephone while
operating a motor vehicle on a public street or highway or public vehicular
area. Exception: You can use it to call the following regarding an emergency
situation: an emergency response operator; a hospital, physician’s office, or a
health clinic; a public or privately owned ambulance company or service; a
fire department; or a law enforcement agency; your parent, legal guardian or
spouse.
New Residents Between the Ages of 15 and 18 Years
If you are a new resident moving into North Carolina and are 15 but less than
18 years old and have a learner permit, a restricted license or an unrestricted
license, you should contact your local driver license office to determine which
type of license or learner permit you are eligible to apply for.
Chapter 1 — Your License
The Provisional Licensee
Drivers under age 18 are provisional licensees. Because these drivers have a much
higher crash rate, special laws apply to them. If you are a driver under age 18:
• You must present a certificate showing you have passed an approved driver
education course consisting of at least 30 hours classroom instruction and six
hours behind-the-wheel instruction that meets North Carolina requirements
before you can take the test for a learner permit or license.
• The DMV reviews your driving record more closely and may contact you if
you have certain types of traffic convictions or crashes.
• It is unlawful for a provisional licensee to drive a motor vehicle after or while
consuming any amount of alcohol or drugs — a conviction of such a violation
will result in a one-year license revocation.
• A parent or legal guardian must sign for a minor.
• You are not permitted to use a cellphone.
• You are not permitted to operate a vehicle while manually entering multiple
letters or text as a means of communicating or read any electronic mail or text
message.
• Every person occupying a vehicle in motion must have a safety belt properly
fastened when the vehicle is in motion.
Thinking Of Dropping Out?
Driver license applicants less than 18 years old must have a Driving Eligibility
Certificate, high school diploma or its equivalent to be eligible for a North
Carolina driving permit or license. The Driving Eligibility Certificate must be
signed by the applicant’s school administrator who certifies that the applicant is
currently enrolled in school and making progress toward a high school diploma;
or that substantial hardship would be placed on the applicant or the applicant’s
family if he or she does not receive a driver license. The steps in graduated
licensing must still be followed even if the Driving Eligibility Certificate is
issued due to hardship conditions. North Carolina does not issue a hardship
driving permit or license.
DMV must revoke the driver license of any person under age 18 when it receives
notice from the proper school authority that the person is no longer eligible
for a Driving Eligibility Certificate. This revocation remains in effect until
the person’s 18th birthday unless a Driving Eligibility Certificate, high school
diploma or GED Certificate is obtained.
Lose Control/Lose Your License
A loss of license will occur if a student receives a suspension for more than 10
consecutive days or receives an assignment to an alternative educational setting
due to disciplinary action for more than 10 consecutive days. This suspension
remains in effect for 12 months or until a Driving Eligibility Certificate is
obtained.
Restrictions
For safety reasons, a driver license may be limited or restricted. Examples:
Chapter 1 — Your License
14 15
• A driver may only be permitted to operate a motor vehicle while wearing
corrective lenses.
• A driver who passes the license examination may be issued a driver license
restricted to using equipment necessary to safely operate the motor vehicle.
If your license is restricted, you must only drive within the limits of the
restriction; otherwise you are considered to be driving without a license.
Required Documents
(Any Document Reflecting Alteration Will Not be Accepted)
Requirements are based on North Carolina General Statutes 20-7 and 20-11.
If you are applying for a driver license, a learner’s permit or an ID card for the
first time in North Carolina, you will need to provide proof of your full name
and date of birth, your NC residence address, provide your social security
number (SSN) or documentation indicating your legal presence in the U.S.
You will need to provide proof of vehicle liability insurance when applying for a
driver license. The insurance policy must reflect your name.
Applicants under Age 18 Applying for a Driver License
or Learner’s Permit:
If you are under age 18, you must provide either a Driving Eligibility Certificate,
proof of graduation from high school, or submit a GED. You must also provide
proof of completion of a driver education course which consists of 30 hours of
classroom instruction and 6 hours behind wheel instruction.
Table (1) - Proof of Age and Identity: You must provide proof of your age
and identity from the list of documents below. Two forms of identification
are required. Additional documents may be required if DMV is unable to
verify your identity. For acceptable documents for proof of a name change,
see Items 9 and 12 in the table below. If you are unable to provide Item 9 or
Item 12, you may complete an affidavit at DMV.
Note: The Division of Motor Vehicles may copy the documents presented or hold
the documents for a brief period of time to verify authenticity.
DOCUMENT DETAILS
1. Driver License or State-
Issued Identification Card
from another State, Puerto
Rico, a U.S. Territory, or a
Canadian Province
• A valid, unexpired DL/ID or
learner’s permit with a photo
• A driver license, learner’s permit
or ID card that reflects a photo
which has been expired less than
one year
• A valid driver license, learner’s
permit or ID card without a
photo
Chapter 1 — Your License Chapter 1 — Your License
DOCUMENT DETAILS
2. Certified birth certificate
issued by a government
agency in the U.S., Puerto
Rico, a U.S. territory, or
Canada or U.S. Report of
Consular Birth Abroad
Certified true copy, no photocopies
unless certified by issuing agency.
3. Original Social Security
Card
4. Tax forms that reflects your
full name and full SSN
W-2 or 1099
5. Motor Vehicle Driver’s
Record
• Certified NC Motor Vehicle
Record
• Non-Certified NC Motor
Vehicle Record
• Certified Out-of-State Motor
Vehicle Record
6. NC school transcript/
registration signed by a
school official, or diploma or
GED from an NC school,
community college or NC
university
Driver Education Certificates,
Driving Eligibility Certificates and
report cards are not accepted as
proof of identification.
7. Valid unexpired U.S.
military ID, including
DD-2, DD-214, or U.S.
Military Dependents Card,
U.S. Veteran Universal
Access Card
8. Valid, unexpired Passport
from any nation
9. Certified document from
a Register of Deeds or
government agency in the
U.S, Puerto Rico, U.S.
territories or Canada
Marriage certificate, divorce decree,
court document of name change
10. Limited Driving Privilege
issued by a NC court
Cannot be expired more than 1 year
11. Valid, unexpired documents
issued by DHS/USCIS
An expired immigration document
may be valid if accompanied by a
letter from USCIS extending the
expiration date (e.g. I-797)
16 17
DOCUMENT DETAILS
12. Court documents from U.S.
jurisdiction, Puerto Rico,
U.S. territories or Canada
• Divorce Decree
• Court order for change of name
or gender
• Adoption Papers
Table (2) - Social Security Number Requirements: To obtain a driver
license, learner’s permit, or ID card, you must provide a Social Security
Number (SSN). If you are not eligible for a SSN, you must provide
document(s) indicating your legal presence in the U.S. DMV will verify
your SSN with the Social Security Administration (SSA). If DMV is
unable to verify your SSN with the SSA, you may be required to present
documentation of your SSN. Documents that you may present as proof of
SSN include:
1. Social Security Card 5. Payroll record
2. 1099 Tax Form 6. Social Security Document
reflecting the SSN
3. W-2 Form 7. Military Record reflecting
the SSN
4. DD-214 8. Medicaid or Medicare Card
reflecting the SSN
By law, the DMV may disclose a Social Security number only as follows:
• For the purpose of administering driver license laws;
• To the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Child Support
Enforcement Program for the purpose of establishing paternity or child
support or enforcing a child support order;
• To the N.C. Department of Revenue for the purpose of verifying taxpayer
identity, and
• To the Office of Indigent Defense Services of the U.S. Judicial Department
for the purpose of verifying the identity of a represented client and enforcing
a court order to pay for the legal services rendered, and
• To each county jury commission for the purpose of verifying the identity of
deceased persons whose names should be removed from jury lists.
The Social Security number on an application will be kept confidential and
will not be printed on your driver license, learner permit or identification card.
Table (3) - Proof of Residency in North Carolina: All first-time
customers must show proof of their NC residence address. This is in
addition to showing proof of identity. One of the two forms of your identity
documents from Table (1) may reflect your NC residence address. You may
complete an affidavit at DMV if you are unable to provide a document
from the table below. Documents that you may present as proof of residency
that show your current NC address, include:
1. Any document issued by
this State or county, city, or
the federal government
6. Housing lease or contract,
mortgage statement,
property or income tax
statement
2. NC Vehicle Registration
Card or title
7. Preprinted financial
statement
3. NC Voter Precinct Card 8. School records
4. Military Orders/Documents 9. NC Vehicle insurance
policy
5. Utility bill or cable bill 10. Letter from homeless
shelter
Table (4) - No Fee Voter ID Cards: To obtain an ID card for voting
purposes, you will need to provide 2 forms of identification from the list of
acceptable documents in Table (1). If you are unable to provide two forms
of identification from the approved list of acceptable documents, DMV
will review documents that you have in your possession. Additionally, you
must be a registered voter. If you are not a registered voter, DMV will assist
you in completing your voter registration application. You will be provided
a receipt for your ID card upon request. Your receipt cannot be used for
voting purposes. Your ID card will be mailed to you.
1. If you are no longer a legal
presence customer, you
must provide proof of your
citizenship or naturalization
4. Must be a registered
voter or submit to a voter
registration application
process
2. You must sign a declaration
stating you do not have
photo ID acceptable under
GS 163-166.13
5. Provide proof of age and
identity (see Table 1)
3. Provide proof of NC
residency (see Table 3)
6. Provide a valid SSN
Chapter 1 — Your License Chapter 1 — Your License
18 19
Table (5) - No Fee ID Cards: To obtain an ID card at no cost, you will need
to provide 2 forms of identification from the list of acceptable documents in
Table (1). If you are unable to provide two forms of identification from the
approved list of acceptable documents, DMV will review documents that you
have in your possession. If you are homeless, you must provide proof from the
shelter where you reside. If you are legally blind, you must provide proof from
the American or North Carolina Council of the Blind. You will be provided
a receipt for your ID card upon request. Your ID card will be mailed to you.
1. Provide proof of age and
identity (see Table 1)
4. Provide proof of NC
residency (see Table 3)
2. Provide a valid SSN 5. If no SSN, proof of legal
presence in the U.S.
(see Table 8)
3. If you are formerly non-citizen,
you must provide
proof of your citizenship or
naturalization
6. You must be 70 years of age
or older, legally blind, have
a medical cancellation on
your driver license or you
must be homeless
Table (6) - ID Cards: To obtain an ID card, you will need to provide 2 forms
of identification from the list of acceptable documents in Table (1). If you
are unable to provide two forms of identification from the approved list of
acceptable documents, DMV will review documents that you have in your
possession. When your ID card is issued, you will be provided a receipt upon
request. Your ID card will be mailed to you.
1. Provide proof of age and
identity (see Table 1)
4. Provide proof of NC
residency (see Table 3)
2. Provide a valid SSN 5. If no SSN, proof of legal
presence in the U.S.
3. If you are formerly non-citizen,
you must provide
proof of your citizenship or
naturalization
6. The cost is $10
Table (7) – Proof of Legal Presence in the U.S.: To obtain a driver license,
learner permit or an identification card, you will need to show proof of legal
presence in the U.S. Based on your legal presence status; you may be required
to present multiple documents. You will also need to provide 2 forms of
identification from the list of acceptable documents in Table (1).
1. Permanent Resident Card
(I-551)
8. Waiver Traveler/Waiver
Business (WT/WB)
Admission Stamp
2. Machine-Readable
Immigrant Visa (MRIV)
with Temp I-551 Language
9. U.S. Passport or U.S.
Passport Card
3. Temporary I-551 Stamp on
Passport or I-94
10. Other Documents (Non-
Student) w/Alien Number
4. I-766 Employment
Authorization Card
11. I-220 B Order of
Supervision w/I-766 card
5. I-20 (F1,F2, M1, M2)
Certification with
I-94 Arrival/Departure
Document or Unexpired
Foreign Passport with CBP
Admission Stamp
12. I-512L Authorization for
Parole of an Alien into
the U.S. w/supporting
immigration document
(I-551, I-766 or I-94)
6. DS2019 (J1, J2)
Certification with
I-94 Arrival/Departure
Document or Unexpired
Foreign Passport with CBP
Admission Stamp
13. Unexpired Foreign Passport
w/CBP Admission Stamp
7. I-94 Arrival/Departure
Record – Electronic I-94
Table (8) – Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA): To obtain a
driver license, learner permit or an identification card, you will need to show
proof of legal presence in the U.S. Based on your legal presence status; you
may be required to present multiple documents. You will also need to provide
2 forms of identification from the list of acceptable documents in Table (1).
1. Employment Authorization
Document reflecting Category
C33
2. I-797 Notice of Action (Case
type I-821) Approval Notice
with valid “to and from” dates
Table (9) - Proof of Insurance: You will need to provide proof of liability
insurance coverage from a North Carolina-licensed insurance carrier.
Documents that you may present as proof of vehicle insurance include:
1. Form DL-123 from your
insurance agent
3. An insurance binder
2. Vehicle insurance policy
reflecting your name and the
issue and expiration dates
4. An insurance card with your
name, the policy number and
issue and expiration dates
Chapter 1 — Your License Chapter 1 — Your License
20 21
The N.C. General Assembly has enacted legislation to require some (but not
all) driver license applicants in North Carolina to submit proof of automobile
liability insurance coverage in order to obtain a North Carolina driver license.
Proof of liability insurance coverage applies to those:
• Applying for an original license, including transfers from out of state;
• Whose licenses are being restored after revocation or suspension; or
• Awarded a Limited Driving Privilege by the court.
Form DL-123, binders and certificates are valid only for 30 days from the
date of issuance. This does not apply to applicants who do not own currently
registered motor vehicles and who do not operate non-fleet private passenger
motor vehicles that are owned by other persons. In such cases it is required that
a certification of exemption (DL-123A) be signed at the driver license office.
The exemption restricts the driver to the operation of “Fleet Vehicles Only”. To
remove the restriction, the driver must pay a $10 duplicate fee and present proof
of financial responsibility.
Chapter 1 — Your License
If you must show proof of financial responsibility, and to avoid
inconveniences at the driver license office, obtain Form DL-123 from your
insurance agent or the driver license office in advance of your visit.
North Carolina’s Driver License and
Identification Card
Digital imaging is used to obtain and store customer photos and signatures. The
driver license/identification card is equipped with a bar code system that houses
customer data.
North Carolina issues driver licenses, learner permits and ID cards from a
central location. Customers who take required tests and have their photos made
at the local driver license office will receive a temporary driving certificate valid
for 20 days. Customers may keep their current license or ID card to use as a
photo ID until their new license is delivered by mail within 20 days.
Driver licenses may be renewed up to six months before a customer’s birthday.
Customers are encouraged to renew their license as early as possible to make
sure their new license arrives on time. Visit www.ncdot.gov/dmv for more
information.
DMV issues a vertical license/ID card to applicants under the age of 21. As
added protection, applicants under age 18 receive license/ID cards with two
color bars, red and yellow, next to their photo indicating their 18th and 21st
birthdays. Applicants under age 21 receive one red color bar indicating the date
they reach the age of 21.
Renewal and Duplicate Licenses
Renewal
The DMV will mail you a reminder card about 60 days before expiration of
your license listing the number of years it will be valid. The vision and traffic
sign recognition tests are always required for a license renewal. It is not necessary
to have the reminder card in order to renew your driver license. A driver license
may be renewed anytime within 180 days prior to expiration. If you do not
have your current or expired license at renewal, you will be required to show the
examiner two documents of identification as outlined.
Chapter 1 — Your License
Examples of nonresidents:
• Salesmen whose homes are in other states who travel through
North Carolina;
• Out-of-state college students who intend to return to their home states
upon completion of their education in North Carolina;
• Members of the armed forces stationed in North Carolina who intend to
return to their home states; and
• Spouses of nonresident members of the armed forces stationed in North
Carolina.
Moving to North Carolina
A new resident has 60 days after establishing residence to obtain a North
Carolina license or learner permit. If you hold a commercial driver license
from another jurisdiction and wish to maintain a commercial license, you must
apply for and receive a North Carolina commercial license within 30 days after
becoming a resident.
DMV shall not issue a driver license or identification card to an applicant who
has resided in this state for less than 12 months until the division has completed
a search of the National Sex Offender Public Registry (North Carolina General
Statute 20-9(i)).
A new resident applying for a Class C License is required to take the
following:
• Knowledge test (must be completed by 4:30 p.m.);
• Vision test;
• Traffic signs recognition test; and
• Driving skills test (if the examiner deems necessary). No driving skills test will
be initiated after 4 p.m.
A nonresident of North Carolina is, “Any person whose legal residence is in
a state, territory, or jurisdiction other than North Carolina or in a foreign
country.”
22 23
Renewal By Mail (Temporary License)
A resident of North Carolina who has been residing outside the state for at least
30 continuous days may also renew their license by mail. This is a temporary
license which expires 60 days after the person returns to North Carolina or on
the expiration date shown on the face of the license, whichever comes first. The
following requirements must be met:
• Must have a permanent North Carolina verifiable residence address.
• Must have a North Carolina driver license that has not expired more than one
year
• Must have a photo on file with DMV that was issued within the last five years
• NCDMV must have a record of your Social Security number or a document
issued by the United States government indicating legal presence
• A vision statement is required and will be provided
• A signed and dated National Sex Offender Affidavit is required and will be
provided
• Customer must not be older than 72 on the date of request to renew by mail
• The customer may renew by mail every other renewal cycle.
A commercial or a full provisional license cannot be renewed by mail.
Military
A resident of North Carolina who has is active duty Military residing outside
the state may also request for a driver license renewal by mail. The following
requirements must be met:
• Must have a permanent North Carolina verifiable residence address or if you
do not have a permanent North Carolina verifiable residence address you may
provide the address of a verifiable North Carolina host family
• Must Provide military orders and a copy of military identification card, both
front and back
• Driver license renewal may be made for more than one year prior to expiration
date when accompanied by military papers showing active duty status
• Must have a North Carolina driver license that has not expired by more than
two years
• Must have a photo on file with DMV that was issued within the last eight
years
• NCDMV must have a record of your Social Security number or a document
issued by the United States government indicating legal presence
• A vision statement is required and will be provided. A vision waiver can be
submitted for active duty military currently in a war zone (documentation
required)
• A signed and dated National Sex Offender Affidavit is required and will be
provided
• Customer must not be older than 72 on the date of request to renew by mail
Chapter 1 — Your License Chapter 1 — Your License
• A driver license with a military designation may be renewed no more than two
times during the license holder’s lifetime.
• Military spouse and dependents may also renew by mail.
• A dependent holding a full provisional driver license can upgrade to a Class
C driver license if their license has not been expired for more than one year
and they are 18 years of age. The customer will need to meet the issuance
requirements and complete the application.
A military customer does not need to go to a driver license office when they return
to North Carolina. They will not need to go in until time to renew their license.
Example: If the military customer returns to North Carolina in 2010 and his
license does not expire until 2014, the customer will not need to go into an office
for renewal until 2014.
Duration and Renewal of License
Your license will expire on your birthday depending upon your age at time of
issuance as shown below:
Age at Time of Issuance Duration
18–65 8 years
66 and older 5 years
* In no event shall a license expire later than the authorization for the
applicant’s legal presence in the United States.
Duplicate
If your license is not expired, suspended or cancelled, visit the nearest driver
license office and provide your driver license to apply for a duplicate. To
replace a lost or stolen license, you must show the examiner two documents of
identification approved by the DMV. This type of transaction may also be completed
online. (See page 4.)
Address Changes
If your address changes from the address on your driver license, you must notify
the division of the change within 60 days and obtain a duplicate license. If you
do not move, but your address changes due to a governmental action, you are
not in violation of this law. This type of transaction may also be completed online.
(See page 4.)
Name Changes
A person whose name changes from the name stated on a driver license must
notify the division of the change within 60 days after the change occurs and
obtain a duplicate driver license stating the new name. The Division of Motor
Vehicles confirms your name with the Social Security Online Verification
System; please visit your local Social Security Administration Office at least 24
hours before changing your name with DMV. Name changes can be completed
with:
24 25
• A certified marriage certificate issued by a governmental agency;
• Documented proof from the courts or the Register of Deeds establishing
that the name change was officially accomplished; or
• Execution of a notarized DL-101 (obtain this document from a DMV office)
All documentation must be provided by the appropriate government agency
of the United States, Puerto Rico, U.S. territories or Canada.
Identification Cards
Any resident of North Carolina can be issued a special identification card. You
will need the same documents as required for a driver license: proof of identity,
and residency, as well as the Social Security requirements. The fee for a special
identification card is $10. This fee is exempt for residents who are legally blind,
at least 70 years old, homeless or whose license has been cancelled for certain
medical reasons.
Chapter 1 — Your License
Schedule of Fees
Driver License
Application Fee N/A $30
Class A $4/yr.* $15/yr.*
Class B $4/yr.* $15/yr.*
Class C $4/yr.* $15/yr.*
Motorcycle Endorsement $1.75/yr.* $1.75/yr.*
(with regular issuance)
CDL Endorsements N/A $3/yr.*
Duplicate License $10 $10
Permits and Other Fees
Learner Permit $15 $15
Motorcycle Learner Permit $15 $15
Duplicate $10 $10
Special Identification Card $10
Restoration Fee $50
Driving Clinic Fee $50
Service Fee $50
DWI Restoration Fee $100
Graduated Licensing
Limited Learner Permit (Level 1) $15 N/A
Limited Provisional License (Level 2) $15 N/A
Full Provisional License (Level 3) $4 yr.* N/A
Temporary Permit $15 N/A
Duplicate $10 N/A
Note: *Fees are calculated on annual basis.
Type of Fee Regular CDL
Chapter 1 — Your License
Other Services
Voter Registration
You may register to vote or make changes to your current voter registration when
applying for a North Carolina driver license, learner permit or an identification
card.
Organ Donor Program
If you wish to be an organ donor, you may indicate your decision when you
apply for or renew your North Carolina driver license or ID card. Donors’
driver licenses and ID cards carry a heart symbol on the front of their
cards, representing their consent to be an organ and eye donor. It is highly
recommended that you discuss your wishes with your family and make sure they
are aware of your decision. For more information, visit www.DonateLifeNC.org
or www.DonateLife.net.
Selective Service System Registration
DMV is required to notify any male U.S. citizen or immigrant between the ages
of 18 and 25 who is applying for a driver license, commercial driver license or
ID card that his application for the license or ID card serves as his consent to
be registered with the Selective Service System (in compliance with the Military
Selective Service Act, 50 U.S.C. 453 (1948)).
Requirements for Sex Offender Registration Program
DMV must provide notice to each person applying for a driver license, learner’s
permit or identification card that, if the person is a sex offender, the person is
required by law to register with the sheriff ’s office in their county of residence.
DMV obtains reports from the National Sex Offender Public Registry. (North
Carolina General Statutes 20-9(i) and 20-37.7)
• If the person is a current registered sex offender in another state, DMV
will not issue a license, permit or ID card until the person submits proof of
registration with the sheriff ’s office.
• If the person is not registered in another state, DMV must require the person
to sign an affidavit and may issue the card applied for.
• If the national sex offender database is unavailable, DMV must require the
person to sign an affidavit and may issue the card applied for.
• If the Division accesses the National Sex Offender Public Registry and verifies
that the person is currently registered as a sex offender in North Carolina or
any other state, the Division shall not issue a Commercial Driver License with
a Passenger (P) or School Bus (S) endorsement.
26 Chapter 2 — Alcohol and the Law 27
Chapter 2
Alcohol and the Law
Everyone’s driving is impaired at a blood alcohol concentration, or BAC, of 0.08
percent, but many people are affected at much lower levels. Research shows that
the risk of being involved in a crash increases when the alcohol level is 0.05 percent,
and at 0.08 percent, the risk of causing a fatal crash is even greater.
Driving While Impaired
In 1983, the North Carolina General Assembly enacted the Safe Roads Act. This
act repealed all previous laws on drunk driving in North Carolina and replaced
them with a single offense of “Driving While Impaired–DWI.”
If an officer charges you with driving while impaired, you will be asked to take a
chemical test of your breath or blood. Refusal to perform any required test will
result in the immediate revocation of your driver license for at least 30 days and
an additional, minimum 12-month revocation by the DMV. In certain instances,
after six months of the willful refusal revocation has elapsed, the judge may issue a
limited driving privilege.
If your blood alcohol concentration test shows a BAC of 0.08 percent or more
(0.04 or more, if you are driving a commercial motor vehicle), your driving
privilege will be revoked immediately for a minimum of 30 days. Additionally,
the results of your chemical test or the fact that you refused to take the test will be
admissible as evidence in court.
DWI Laws:
• Allow enforcement agencies to set up road blocks to check for impaired drivers;
• Prohibit drivers from consuming any alcoholic beverage, including beer, while
driving;
• Prohibit the transport of an open container of any alcoholic beverage, including
in the passenger area of the car;
• Prohibit the possession of alcoholic beverages (open or closed) in the passenger
area of a commercial motor vehicle while upon any highway, street or public
vehicular area;
• Provide for different levels of severity of punishment based on the severity of the
offense;
• Require persons who are convicted of DWI for the second time to serve a jail
sentence;
• Attempt to punish DWI offenders, but also try to help them deal with problems
they may have with alcohol;
Driving while impaired can be proven in one of two ways:
• By proving the driver’s physical or mental fitness are appreciably
impaired by alcohol, drugs or a combination of both; or
• By proving the driver’s blood alcohol concentration is 0.08 percent or
more, or 0.04 or more, if you are driving a Commercial Motor Vehicle.
• Require that repeat DWI offenders or persons with high BACs be checked to see
if they have an alcohol problem;
• Require persons with lower BACs to attend alcohol safety schools; and
• Require anyone convicted of DWI to obtain a substance abuse assessment prior
to the reinstatement of driving privileges.
If you are convicted of DWI:
First conviction: Mandatory revocation of your driver license for a period of one
year.
Second conviction: Mandatory driver license revocation for a period of four years
when convicted of a prior offense which occurred within three years of the current
offense for which the license is being revoked.
Third conviction: Mandatory, permanent driver license revocation if at least one
of the prior convictions occurred within the past five years.
Fourth conviction: Mandatory permanent driver license revocation. The fourth
conviction is considered a felony if the three prior DWI convictions occurred
within the past seven years.
Blood Alcohol Concentration Restrictions
A blood alcohol concentration restriction will be required when a license is restored
following a suspension for DWI or when a Limited Driving Privilege is issued
following a DWI conviction.
On the first restoration, the alcohol concentration restriction will be 0.04. On a
second or subsequent restoration, the alcohol concentration restriction will be 0.00.
Additionally, if you are convicted of DWI in a commercial motor vehicle, driving
after consuming alcohol or drugs while under the age of 21 or felony death by
vehicle, the alcohol concentration restriction will be 0.00.
Furthermore, a conviction of Driving While Impaired with a BAC of 0.15 or more,
or another conviction within the past seven years, will require an ignition interlock
device to be installed on the vehicle.
Alcohol and the Young Driver
The legal age to purchase any alcoholic beverage in North Carolina is 21. It is
against the law for any person who is younger than 21 years of age to purchase or
to attempt to purchase alcohol.
The law requires a one-year driver license revocation upon conviction
for:
• Any underage person who attempts to purchase or purchases an alcoholic
beverage;
• Any underage person who aids or abets another who attempts to purchase or
purchases an alcoholic beverage;
If you are convicted of DWI while your license is revoked for an earlier
DWI conviction, the court may order your vehicle seized and sold.
Chapter 2 — Alcohol and the Law
28 29
• Any underage person who obtains or attempts to obtain alcoholic beverages by
using or attempting to use a fraudulent driver license or other ID or another
person’s driver license or ID; or
• Any person who permits his or her driver license or any other ID to be used by
an underage person to purchase or attempt to purchase an alcoholic beverage.
• Any person who gives an alcoholic beverage to any underage person.
DWI laws are subject to change pending legislation. For updates on laws that may
impact this section, visit www.ncleg.net.
If a driver who is less than 21 years old is convicted for an offense
of driving with any amount of alcohol or drugs in his/her body,
his/her license will be revoked for one year.
Chapter 2 — Alcohol and the Law Chapter 3 — Your Driving Privilege
Chapter 3
Your Driving Privilege
Points
Driver License Points
If you are convicted of certain motor vehicle violations in North Carolina, driver
license points are placed against your driving record. If you accumulate seven
points, you may be assigned to a driver improvement clinic. The clinic fee is
$50. Upon satisfactory completion of the clinic, three points are deducted from
your driving record. If you accumulate as many as 12 points within a three-year
period, your license may be suspended. The accumulation of eight points within
three years following the reinstatement of your license can result in a second
suspension.
If your driver license is suspended by the point system, it may be taken
for:
• 60 days for the first suspension;
• 6 months for the second; and
• 12 months for the third.
When your driving privilege is reinstated, all previous driver license points are
canceled. This does not pertain to insurance points.
Points are given for the following offenses:
Conviction Point Value
Passing a stopped school bus 5
Aggressive driving 5
Reckless driving 4
Hit and run, property damage only 4
Following too closely 4
Driving on wrong side of road 4
Illegal passing 4
Failure to yield right of way to pedestrian pursuant
to G.S. 20-158 (b) (2) b. 4
Failure to yield right of way to bicycle, motor scooter or motorcycle 4
Running through stop sign 3
Speeding in excess of 55 mph 3
Failure to yield right of way 3
Running through red light 3
No driver license or license expired more than one year 3
Failure to stop for siren 3
Driving through safety zone 3
30 Chapter 3 — Your Driving Privilege 31
No liability insurance 3
Failure to report accident where such report is required 3
Speeding in a school zone in excess of the posted school
zone speed limit 3
Failure to properly restrain a child in a restraint or seat belt 2
All other moving violations 2
Littering pursuant to G.S. 14-399 when the littering involves
the use of a motor vehicle 1
Schedule of point values for conviction of violations while
operating a commercial motor vehicle:
Conviction Point Value
Passing stopped school bus 8
Rail-highway crossing violation 6
Careless and reckless driving in violation of G.S.20-140(f ) 6
Speeding in violation of G.S. 20-141(j3) 6
Aggressive driving 6
Reckless driving 5
Hit and run, property damage only 5
Following too closely 5
Driving on wrong side of road 5
Illegal passing 5
Failure to yield right of way to pedestrian pursuant
to G.S. 20-158 (b) (2) b. 5
Failure to yield right of way to bicycle, motor scooter or motorcycle 5
Running through stop sign 4
Speeding in excess of 55 miles per hour 4
Failure to yield right of way 4
Running through red light 4
No driver license or license expired more than one year 4
Failure to stop for siren 4
Driving through safety zone 4
No liability insurance 4
Failure to report accident where such report is required 4
Speeding in a school zone in excess of the posted school zone
speed limit 4
Possessing alcoholic beverage in the passenger area of a commercial
motor vehicle 4
All other moving violations 3
Chapter 3 — Your Driving Privilege
Littering pursuant to G.S. 14-399 when the littering involves
the use of a motor vehicle 1
No points shall be assessed for convictions of the following offenses:
• Overload;
• Overlength;
• Overwidth;
• Overheight;
• Illegal parking;
• Carrying concealed weapon;
• Improper plates;
• Improper registration;
• Improper muffler;
• Improper display of license plates or dealer’s tags;
• Unlawful display of emblems and insignia
• Failure to display a current inspection certificate
Any person who commits an offense for which points may be assessed for
violations while operating a commercial motor vehicle may be assessed
double the amount of any fine or penalty authorized by statute.
Insurance Points
Insurance companies use a different point system to determine insurance
rates. If you have any questions concerning insurance points, contact your
insurance agent.
Suspensions
In addition to criminal penalties that the court might mandate, conviction of
certain traffic offenses will result in the loss of your driving privilege.
The DMV can also suspend your license for the following:
• Two convictions of speeding over 55 mph within a period of 12 months;
• One conviction of speeding over 55 mph and one conviction of reckless
driving within a year;
• A conviction of willful racing with another motor vehicle, whether it is
prearranged or unplanned;
Your driving privilege will be revoked for at least 30 days if you are
convicted of:
• Driving any vehicle more than 15 miles per hour over the speed limit, if
you are driving at a speed higher than 55 mph.
It will be taken for 60 days if you are convicted of:
• A second charge of speeding over 55 mph and more than 15 mph above
the speed limit within one year; or
• Speeding plus reckless driving on the same occasion.
32 Chapter 3 — Your Driving Privilege 33
• A suspended court sentence or part of a sentence mandating that you must
not operate a motor vehicle for a specified period of time; and/or
• A conviction for speeding over 75 mph, in certain cases
In cases like the above, the DMV may suspend your driving privilege as soon
as it receives the conviction report from the court. If your driving privilege is
revoked, you may have the right to a hearing in the judicial district where you
reside. To request a hearing, call or write to the DMV in Raleigh. You will be
notified by mail of the time and place for the hearing. At the hearing you may
state any facts that you think should entitle you to driving privileges or to a
reduction of the suspension period.
If you believe your driving privilege should not have been revoked and the
hearing gives you no help, you may appeal the DMV’s decision within 30 days
to the Superior Court of the county where you live. The court will review your
case to see if there were proper grounds for revoking your driving privilege.
Offense Suspension Time
Manslaughter 1 year
Death by vehicle 1 year
Manslaughter while under the influence of an
impairing substance Permanent
Assault with a motor vehicle 1 year
Failure to stop and give aid when involved in an accident 1 year
Speeding in excess of 55 mph and at least 15 mph over the legal
limit while attempting to avoid arrest 1 year
Prearranged racing with another motor vehicle on the highway *3 years
Watching, betting on or loaning a car for prearranged racing *3 years
Willful refusal to submit to a blood or breath alcohol test 1 year
Two charges of reckless driving committed within 12 months 1 year
Attempting to obtain a license or learner permit under false pretense 1 year
Failure to yield right of way when entering an intersection,
turning at a stop or yield sign, entering a roadway, upon
the approach of an emergency vehicle or at a highway
construction or maintenance area when the offense
results in serious bodily injury 90 days and $500
*When an officer finds that someone has loaned or is operating a motor
vehicle willfully in prearranged racing, he/she will seize the vehicle. If the
person is convicted, the court may order the vehicle sold at public auction.
NOTE: If the court makes a finding that a longer period of revocation is
appropriate, the division must revoke for two years.
Out-of-State Conviction
Convictions occurring outside North Carolina may result in your license
being suspended or revoked just as if the violations occurred in this state. If
a suspension occurs, the Division must notify you by correspondence of the
effective date of the suspension.
Failure to Appear and/or to Pay a Fine
When the division receives notification that you failed to appear in court or pay
court fines for a citation received in North Carolina or another state, you will
be notified of the effective date of the revocation if not paid prior to the date
indicated on the correspondence. The revocation will remain in effect until
the division is notified by the court that the citation or fine has been complied
with and may result in you having to pay appropriate fees to DMV to obtain
a duplicate license. Complying with the citation does not relieve you of the
consequences for the actual offense if convicted.
Provisional Licensee (under age 18)
There are other rules that apply to persons under 18 years of age. If you are a
provisional licensee, your license may be suspended for:
• 30 days, upon conviction of a second moving violation occurring within a
12-month period;
• 90 days, upon conviction of a third moving violation occurring within
a 12-month period; and
• Six months, upon conviction of a fourth moving violation occurring within a
12-month period.
Chapter 3 — Your Driving Privilege
Some examples of moving violations:
• Passing a stopped school bus;
• Reckless driving;
• Hit-and-run;
• Following too closely;
• Driving on the wrong side of the road;
• Illegal passing;
• Running through a stop sign or red light;
• Failure to yield right of way;
• Failure to stop for an emergency siren; and
• Speeding.
34 35
Driver License Restoration
North Carolina law requires that a restoration fee of $50 be paid to the DMV
before a suspension or revocation can be cleared. (This fee is not required if the
license was taken for medical or health reasons following a medical evaluation.)
A $100 restoration fee is required when the revocation results from a DWI
conviction. Also, a service fee of $50 is required upon restoration of a revoked
or suspended driver license unless the license was surrendered to the court or
mailed to the DMV before the effective date of the suspension or revocation.
For the reinstatement of your driving privilege:
1. Visit any driver license office;
2. Provide proof of identity, i.e., driver license or two (2) other acceptable
forms of i.d.;
3. Pay a restoration and/or service fee;
4. Reapply for a driver license;
5. Take required tests, if applicable, and
6. Provide proof of insurance if required.
Chapter 3 — Your Driving Privilege
Chapter 4
Your Driving
Good driving skills should be developed and practiced at all times. You should
also know your physical and mental limitations and not drive a vehicle when
you are too tired or sleepy. When traveling long distances, plan ahead, know
your route and be alert to the driving conditions. Your ability to safely operate
a motor vehicle may save your life as well as the lives of others.
Driver Safety
Driver Condition
Your driving is affected by your physical and mental health. To obtain a driver
license, you must be in good health. If you have health problems that are serious
and long term in nature, they will likely come to the attention of the DMV.
More often, health problems are short term, like suffering from colds, headaches
or flu. You should remember that any time you are not feeling well, your driving
is likely to be different. You may be less alert and less responsive than normal.
Drowsy Driving
According to the National Safety Foundation (NSF), your number one
responsibility is to get yourself and your passengers to your destination safely.
When behind the wheel, you always need to be alert and focused on the job of
driving. At 55 mph, a vehicle travels the length of a football field in 3.7 seconds.
This is no time for a “mini” snooze. On the roads more traveled, being an
attentive driver and looking out for the one who isn’t, is increasingly important.
Drive focused. Stay safe.
Drowsy driving causes more than 100,000 crashes each year, resulting in 40,000
injuries and 1,550 deaths. Sadly, these numbers represent only the tip of the
iceberg since drowsy driving is seriously under-reported, according to the NSF.
The NSF reports that crashes caused by drowsy driving are often serious and
occur most often on high-speed rural highways when the driver is alone.
Drowsy driving could happen to anyone. Some warning signs include:
• You cannot remember the last few miles driven.
• You hit a rumble strip or drift from your lane.
• You yawn repeatedly.
• You have difficulty focusing or keeping your eyes open.
Tips to Prevent Drowsy Driving:
• Get a full night of rest before driving. If you become tired while driving, stop.
A short nap (15 to 45 minutes) and consuming caffeine can help temporarily.
• Stop regularly when driving long distances. Get out of the car at least every 2
hours to stretch and walk briskly.
• Try to set a limit of 300-400 miles of driving per day.
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
36 Chapter 4 — Your Driving 37
• Avoid taking medications that cause drowsiness.
• If you are tired and in danger of falling asleep, you cannot predict when a
“mini” sleep may occur. A driver cannot react to road dangers when tired.
Getting enough sleep will not only help you feel better, it can save your life.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away
from the primary task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger and
bystander safety. These types of distractions include:
• Texting
• Using a cell phone
• Eating and drinking
• Talking to passengers
• Grooming
• Reading, including maps
• Using a navigation system
• Watching a video
• Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player
Distractions
No matter what the distraction, inattentive drivers exhibit similar behavior.
Distractions cause drivers to react more slowly to traffic conditions or
events, such as a car stopping to make a turn or pulling out from a side
road. Inattentive drivers fail more often to recognize potential hazards such
as pedestrians or debris in the road. Also, distractions make it more difficult
to conduct preventive or evasive moves to avoid a crash because many
distractions force a driver to take at least one hand off the steering wheel.
Cell Phones
Cell phones can be a lifesaver in an emergency; however, they also can be
distracting. Below are North Carolina laws and reminders to help you avoid
letting the cell phone become a deadly distraction:
• It is unlawful to use a cell phone for email or text messages while operating a
vehicle on a public street or highway or public vehicular area;
• Drivers less than 18 years of age are not permitted to use a cell phone or any
additional technology associated with a cell phone while operating a motor
vehicle on a public street or highway or public vehicular area while the vehicle
is in motion. Exceptions: calling 911 in an emergency;
• No person shall operate a school bus on a public street or highway or public
vehicular area while using a cell phone or any other technology associated
with a mobile device;
• Use your cell phone only if it is absolutely necessary and for the sole purpose
of communicating regarding emergency situations or contacting parent, legal
guardian or spouse;
• If you must use your phone, do so at a safe time and place;
• Ask a passenger in the car to place the call for you and, if possible, speak in
your place;
• Do not feel like you must answer the phone when it rings. Let someone leave
a message and you can return the call when you are stopped at a safe location;
• Secure your phone in the car so that it does not become a projectile in a crash.
Medications
Prescriptions and over-the-counter medications can affect your driving. Before
you take any medication, find out how it will affect you. Try to do as little
driving as possible while taking any type of medication. If you must drive, be
especially careful. You may not be as alert as usual.
Alcohol
Alcohol reduces your ability to drive safely. No one drives as well after drinking
alcohol, even though some people may look and act as though they are
unaffected.
About 38 percent of all traffic fatalities involve alcohol.
Alcohol affects most areas of your brain, so the effects are wide-ranging and
impossible to compensate. Alcohol is a depressant. This means alcohol:
• Slows brain functions so that you cannot respond to situations, make
decisions or react quickly.
• Reduces your ability to judge how fast you are moving or your distance from
other cars, people or objects.
• Gives you false confidence — you may take greater risks because you think
your driving is better than it really is.
• Makes it harder to do more than one thing – while you concentrate on
steering, you could miss seeing traffic lights, cars entering from side streets or
pedestrians.
• Affects your sense of balance - very important if you ride a motorcycle.
• Makes you sleepy.
The only thing that sobers up a drinker is time. Coffee, a big meal or cold
showers will not work.
Do not drink and drive.
• Plan ahead and arrange alternative transport.
• Share a taxi with friends.
• Use public transportation.
• Stay overnight at a friend’s place.
• Ride with a driver who has not been drinking.
• Arrange for a friend or relative to give you a ride.
(Source: National Safety Foundation)
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
38 39
Protecting Yourself and Your Passengers
No one can be completely protected from being in a crash. You cannot predict
what other drivers will do.
Seat Belts
The driver and all passengers in a motor vehicle manufactured with seat belts
shall have a seat belt properly fastened about his or her body at all times when
the vehicle is in forward motion on a street or highway in this state. Children
under age 16 should be in an age and weight appropriate restraint. Under the
seat belt law, all occupants MUST wear seat belts even if the vehicle is equipped
with air bags. If the vehicle is equipped with automatic shoulder harnesses, the
lap belt MUST also be worn.
Child Safety
Each year hundreds of North Carolina children are seriously injured or killed in
automobile crashes. In fact, the number one threat to the lives of young children
is the automobile accident. Only crash-tested child safety seats can reduce these
tragedies. Since small children cannot make safety choices for themselves, adults
must make sure children are protected every time they ride in cars. Infants and
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
During an average lifetime of driving, we face about a one-in-three
chance of being seriously injured or killed in a motor vehicle crash.
Exemptions to the seat belt law:
• A driver or occupant of a noncommercial motor vehicle with a medical
or physical condition that prevents appropriate restraint by a seat belt
or with a professionally certified mental phobia against the wearing of
vehicle restraints;
• A motor vehicle operated by a rural letter carrier of the United States
Postal Service while performing duties as a rural letter carrier, and a
motor vehicle operated by a newspaper delivery person while actually
engaged in delivery of newspapers along the person’s specified route;
• A driver or passenger frequently stopping and leaving the vehicle or
delivering property from the vehicle if the speed of the vehicle between
stops does not exceed 20 miles per hour;
• Any vehicle registered and licensed as a property-carrying vehicle while
being used for agricultural purposes in intrastate commerce.
• A motor vehicle not required to be equipped with seat belts by law; and
• Any occupant of a motor home other than the driver and front seat
passengers, provided the motor home has at least four of the following
facilities: cooking, refrigeration or icebox, self-contained toilet, heating
or air-conditioning, portable water supply system with a faucet and sink,
separate 110-115-volt electrical power supply or an LP gas supply.
• Situations where all seating positions equipped with child passenger
restraint systems or seat belts are occupied;
small children must be placed in safety seats that are specially designed for them
and have been crash-tested. Properly used safety seats could save seven out of
every 10 children who are killed while unrestrained. Always read and follow the
manufacturer’s instructions for using the safety seat. The best seat for your child
is a safety seat that is used every time the child rides in a car. It must fit in your
car(s) and have a harness or shield system that is comfortable for the child. The
seat should be one you are able and willing to use every time an infant or small
child rides in your car. Safety seats are often available through low-cost rental
programs operated by local service groups, hospitals and health departments.
Child Seats
Every driver transporting one or more passengers younger than 16 years of
age must make sure that each passenger under age 16 is properly secured in
a child passenger restraint system or a seat belt which meets the federal safety
standards that were in effect at the time it was manufactured. A child under
age 8 and weighing less than 80 pounds must be properly secured in a weight
appropriate child passenger restraint system. If the vehicle is equipped with an
active passenger-side front air bag and the vehicle has a rear seat, then a child
under age 5 and weighing less than 40 pounds must be properly secured in the
rear seat unless the child restraint system is designed for use with a front air bag
system. If there are no available seating positions in the vehicle equipped with
a lap and shoulder belt to properly secure the weight appropriate child restraint
system, a child under age 8 and between 40 and 80 pounds can be restrained by
a properly fitted lap belt only.
For information about child safety seats, contact:
University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center
Bolin Creek Center
730 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Chapel Hill, NC 27514-5738
Booster Seats and Seat Belts for Children
Booster seats that meet federal motor vehicle safety standards should be used for
children who have outgrown their standard safety seats until they are big enough
for seat belts. Adult seat belts should not be used for children until they are big
enough for the seat belt to fit correctly. The lap seat belt must fit snugly across
the child’s hips, not across the stomach. The shoulder portion of a lap/shoulder
belt must fall across the shoulder and chest, not across the face or throat. For
shoulder belts that do not fit, belt-positioning booster seats designed to raise a
child up for a proper fit of the lap and shoulder belts are readily available.
Children and Air Bags
Air bags save lives. They work best when everyone is buckled and children are
properly restrained in the back seat. Children riding in the front seat can be
seriously injured or killed when an air bag comes out in a crash. An air bag
is not a soft, billowy pillow. To do its important job, an air bag comes out of
the dashboard at up to 200 miles per hour — faster than the blink of an eye.
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
Phone: 1-800-672-4527 (in NC only)
or (919) 962-2202
40 41
The force of an air bag can hurt those who are too close to it. Drivers can help
prevent air bag-related injuries to adults and children by following critical safety
points.
Child Safety Points:
• Children age 12 and under should ride buckled up in a rear seat; and
• Infants in rear-facing child safety seats should NEVER ride in the front seat
of a vehicle with a passenger-side air bag. Small children should ride in a rear
seat in child safety seats approved for their age and size.
Adult Safety Points:
• Everyone should buckle-up with both lap and shoulder belts on every trip. Air
bags are supplemental protection devices;
• The lap belt should be worn under the abdomen and low across the hips. The
shoulder portion should come over the collarbone away from the neck and
cross over the breastbone. The shoulder belt in most new cars can be adjusted
on the side pillar to improve fit; and
• Driver and front passenger seats should be moved as far back as practical,
particularly for shorter-statured people.
North Carolina Motorcycle Safety Helmet Law
All operators and passengers on motorcycles and mopeds must wear a
motorcycle safety helmet of a type that complies with Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard (FMVSS) 218.
What to look for in a legal helmet:
• A thick inner liner which includes a firm inner liner of polystyrene
foam that is about one inch thick. In some helmets this may be covered
by a comfort liner, but you can feel the thickness. (Non-compliant helmets
normally contain no liner or a thin soft foam padding.)
• A DOT sticker which will show the symbol “DOT” permanently installed
by the manufacturer on the back of the helmet. (Some “novelty type” helmets
are supplied with a separate “DOT” sticket or one can be purchased separately
and placed on the helmet by the motorcyclist. This does not make this a
compliant helmet.)
• A manufacturer’s label which is permanently attached in the interior of
the helmet by the manufacturer that includes the manufacturer’s name or
identification, precise model, size, month and year of manufacture, type of
shell and liner construction materials and an instruction label for cleaning
and care of the helmet.
Law on Transporting Children in the Back of a
Pick-up Truck
North Carolina law prohibits children less than age 16 from riding in the open
bed of a pick-up truck. (NCGS §20-135.2B) An open bed or open cargo area
is a bed or cargo area without permanent overhead restraining construction.
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
The operator of the vehicle having an open bed or open cargo is responsible for
compliance with this law. The statute does, however, contain some exemptions.
The provisions for proper securement of children do not apply:
• If an adult is present in the bed or cargo area of the vehicle and is supervising
the child;
• If the child is secured or restrained by a seat belt manufactured in compliance
with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, installed to support
a load strength of not less than 5,000 pounds for each belt, and of a type
approved by the Commissioner;
• If an emergency situation exists;
• If the vehicle is being operated in a parade; or
• If the vehicle is being operated in an agricultural enterprise including
providing transportation to and from the principal place of the enterprise.
Violators are issued tickets and are subject to a fine of $25. Violations of this law
are defined as “infractions” and do not incur court costs, driver license points
or insurance surcharges.
Weather Risk
It is dangerous and deadly to leave children and/or animals in a vehicle. During
the spring and summer months, after sitting in the sun, with even a slightly
opened window, the temperature can rise rapidly inside a parked vehicle. The
temperature inside a vehicle can rise approximately 40-50 degrees higher than
the outside temperature. Dehydration, heat stroke and death can result from
overexposure to the heat. During winter months, snow can block a car’s exhaust
pipe, and warming up a car can cause carbon monoxide to back up into the
car. Carbon monoxide is an invisible gas that has no smell, taste or color but is
poisonous, even deadly.
General Driving
The Driver and Pedestrian
When you are driving, always yield right of way to pedestrians:
• At intersections without traffic signals, pedestrians have the right of way if
they are in marked crosswalks or in unmarked crosswalks formed by imaginary
lines extending from the sidewalks across the streets;
• At intersections controlled by ordinary traffic signals, pedestrians must obey
the same signals as drivers traveling in the same direction. Pedestrians should
not start to cross during a red or yellow signal;
• When crossing with a green signal, pedestrians have the right of way over all
vehicles, including those turning across the paths of the pedestrians; and
• If a traffic signal changes to yellow or red while any pedestrian remains in the
street, drivers must allow the pedestrian to complete the crossing safely.
• The law gives a blind pedestrian special consideration at an intersection where
there are no traffic signals when the pedestrian extends a white cane, or a white
cane with a red tip or has a guide dog.
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
42 43
At some intersections, special signals instruct pedestrians either to “Walk” or
“Don’t Walk”. When these signals are operating, pedestrians must obey them
rather than regular traffic signals.
• Pedestrians crossing with special pedestrian signals have the right of way just
as they do while crossing with a green light.
• If you are moving through an intersection with a green signal and a pedestrian
starts to cross in your path against the red signal, give a warning with your
horn.
The law requires drivers to use the horn whenever a pedestrian may be affected
by a turn, stop or start from a parked position. If the pedestrian does not stop,
the driver must. Saving a pedestrian’s life is always worth the driver’s lost right
of way. The safe driver yields right of way to a pedestrian whether the pedestrian
is entitled to it or not.
Protecting Motorcyclists From Unsafe Movements
If a vehicle driver does not properly signal vehicle movements to a motorcycle
operator and causes the motorcycle to change lanes or leave the roadway, the
vehicle driver will be charged and fined as the law provides. If these actions
result in a crash causing property damage or personal injury, the driver will be
charged and fined as the law provides.
School Buses
The maximum speed limit for a school bus is 45 mph. School bus drivers travel
more than half a million miles and transport almost three quarters of a million
children each school day. During the hours that
school buses are operating (generally 7 – 9 a.m. and
2 – 4 p.m.), drivers should be especially careful. When
a school bus displays its mechanical stop signal or
flashing red lights to receive or discharge passengers,
the driver of any other vehicle approaching the school
bus must stop and not attempt to pass the school
bus until the mechanical stop signal is withdrawn,
the flashing red lights are turned off and the bus has
started to move.
Children waiting for the bus or leaving the bus might dart out into traffic.
Even when the school bus is not in sight, children at a bus stop sometimes will
run into the street unexpectedly. Always be careful around school buses and
school bus stops.
Below are specific rules for a variety of situations involving stopped school buses:
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
Two-lane roadway: When school bus stops for
passengers, all traffic from both directions must
stop.
Emergency and Law Enforcement Vehicles
Police cars, ambulances, fire engines and rescue vehicles with flashing lights and
sirens always have the right of way.
Follow these guidelines when approaching or being approached by an emergency
vehicle:
• As the emergency vehicle approaches (from ahead or behind), drive to the
right-hand curb or edge of the road and stop completely;
• Remain stopped until the emergency vehicle has passed, or until directed to
move by a traffic officer;
• Do not park within 100 feet of an emergency vehicle that has stopped to
investigate an accident or to give assistance;
• Do not drive or park closer than one block from fire trucks responding to a
fire alarm;
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
All vehicles, regardless of direction of travel, must yield right of way
to an approaching emergency vehicle. This does not apply to vehicles
traveling in the opposite direction of the emergency vehicle(s) when
traveling on a four-lane limited-access highway with a center median.
Roadway of four lanes or more with a
center turning lane: When school bus stops
for passengers, only traffic following the bus
must stop.
Divided highway of four lanes or more with
a median separation: When school bus stops
for passengers, only traffic following the bus
must stop.
Two-lane roadway with a center turning lane:
When school bus stops for passengers, all traffic
from both directions must stop.
Four-lane roadway without a median
separation: When school bus stops for
passengers, all traffic from both directions must
stop.
44 45
• Never drive a motor vehicle over a fire hose.
When approaching any authorized emergency vehicle (police, fire department,
ambulance, rescue squad or public service vehicle that is being used to assist
motorists or law enforcement officers with wrecked or disabled vehicles) that
is parked or standing within 12 feet of the roadway with the emergency or
warning lights activated, a driver is required to do the following:
• On a highway with at least two lanes of traffic in the same direction you are
traveling, you must move your vehicle into a lane that is not the lane nearest
the parked or standing emergency vehicle and continue traveling in that lane
until safely clear of the emergency vehicle.
• On a highway with only one lane of traffic in the same direction you are
traveling, you must slow your speed and drive at a reduced, safe speed until
completely past the emergency vehicle.
Suggested procedures for motorists when stopped by law enforcement
officers:
• On a standard dual-lane highway, ALWAYS pull to the right and off the travel
portion of the highway;
• On a highway, with two or more lanes of traffic in the same direction, a driver
should pull his vehicle onto the most feasible shoulder of the highway in a safe
manner;
• Upon bringing the vehicle to a stop the driver should remain seated in the
vehicle and place the vehicle in the “parked” position, preferably with the
vehicle in the “off ” position. With power locks and windows more prevalent,
the engine may have to be left running. Activate the vehicle’s hazard lights or
emergency flashers;
• If at night, activate the vehicle’s interior lights;
• Turn off your car radio. This will assist in communicating with the officer;
• Place both hands on the steering wheel while the officer is approaching the
vehicle;
• The passengers should place their hands in their lap or on their knees, in order
to allow the officer a clear view of the vehicle; and
• Once the officer approaches the vehicle, lower your window so you can
communicate with the officer.
• Do not talk on your cell phone;
• Do not move around in the vehicle, reach under the seats or enter the glove
box or center console while the officer is approaching the vehicle. Basically,
refrain from unnecessary movement; and
• Do not exit the vehicle or have other parties exit the vehicle unless instructed
by the officer.
Officers understand and take into consideration many factors when stopping
drivers. In some cases the violator may continue to drive a short distance
until they reach the first “safe haven” or well-lit area as determined by the law
enforcement officer. This distance is based upon the violation committed or the
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
law enforcement officer’s observation of the motorist’s driving ability. When
proceeding to the first “safe haven” or well-lit area, the vehicle’s hazard lights or
emergency flashers should be activated.
Safe Driving Around Farm Equipment
The agricultural industry is one of the largest employers in North Carolina.
Slow-moving agricultural equipment can be found in all parts of the state,
including suburban areas. Caution should be taken when sharing the road with
farm equipment.
Most of the crashes that involve farm equipment occur on a clear day, during
daylight hours, and/or on a dry surface that is paved. Typical crashes with farm
equipment include sideswipes and angle crashes.
These types of crashes typically occur while farm equipment is turning left and
another vehicle attempts to pass. In some cases, a machinery operator uses a left-hand
signal, and drivers may mistake this as a sign for them to pass. When the
farm machinery slows to make the turn, the vehicle following attempts to pass
and crashes with the equipment.
When sharing the road with farm equipment, you must obey the rules of the
road. It is illegal and very dangerous to pass farm equipment in a no passing
zone. Farm equipment may be wider than what is visible from behind and may
require ample space in both lanes. Furthermore, it may also be difficult to see
traffic approaching in the opposite direction.
The key to safety when sharing the road with farm equipment is to be patient.
If farm equipment is causing a delay in traffic, the operator should move off the
road at the nearest practical location and allow the traffic to pass. This is the only
advisable time to pass farm equipment on public roads.
During the harvesting and planting seasons, farmers work longer hours and are
often on the road in the early morning and evening hours. Farm equipment is
required to have one front white light as well as a rear red light that is visible for
up to 500 feet. Two red reflectors that are at least four inches in diameter can
replace the rear red light.
Remember, when approaching farm equipment the closure time is much
quicker because of the slow speed of the equipment. Always approach farm
equipment with care.
Farm equipment is legally entitled to travel on most roads in North Carolina,
except interstates.
Funeral Processions
• Every vehicle in a funeral procession must have its headlights on, and the
hazard warning signals must also be on, if so equipped.
• The operator of the lead vehicle must comply with all traffic-control signals.
But when the lead vehicle has crossed the intersection in accordance with the
traffic-control sign or signal, or when directed to do so by a law enforcement
officer or funeral director, or when being led by a law enforcement vehicle,
all vehicles in the funeral procession may proceed through the intersection
without stopping, while using extra care towards other vehicles or pedestrians.
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
46 47
• All vehicles in a funeral procession must be driven on the right side of the road
and shall follow the vehicle ahead as closely as reasonable and prudent.
• The driver of a vehicle going in the opposite direction as a funeral procession
may yield to the procession. If the driver chooses to yield, the driver must
do so by reducing speed, or by stopping completely off the roadway so that
drivers of other vehicles proceeding in the opposite direction of the procession
can continue to travel without leaving their lane of traffic.
• The driver of a vehicle traveling in the same direction as the funeral procession
shall not pass or attempt to pass the funeral procession, except that the
operator of such a vehicle may pass a funeral procession when the highway has
been marked for two or more lanes of moving traffic in the same direction of
the funeral procession.
• The driver of a vehicle shall not knowingly drive between vehicles in a funeral
procession. When a funeral procession is proceeding through a red light, the
driver of a vehicle that is not in the procession shall not enter the intersection
even if facing a green light, unless it can be done safely and without crossing
the path of the procession.
Basic Driving Skills and Rules
Driving on Your Side of the Road
The law requires you to drive on the right side of the road. Driving on the left
side is legal only in some cases, such as on one-way streets and while passing.
When you are moving slower than the posted speed limit on a multi-lane
highway, drive in the extreme right lane unless you are passing, turning left or
avoiding an obstruction.
Adjusting Your Speed to Driving Conditions
The speed at which you drive determines the distance required to stop your
vehicle. Stopping distance also depends on your reaction time. Stopping
distances are longer at higher speeds because a vehicle travels farther during the
driver’s reaction time, and it takes more braking distance to come to a full stop.
Even with ideal conditions, if you are traveling 55 miles per hour your vehicle
requires approximately 211 feet to stop completely.
Driving at a high speed is dangerous because each additional mile traveled per
hour reduces the driver’s ability to control the vehicle. Speed also increases the
likelihood that a crash will result in serious injury or death. On the other hand,
driving below the posted speed limit can also be dangerous. If you must drive
slower, you should still observe the posted minimum speed limit. At places
where it is unsafe to pass, the slow driver forces other drivers to creep along
behind or take unnecessary risks while trying to pass. Very slow driving is
especially dangerous just after you have passed the crest of a hill or rounded a
curve. Faster-moving vehicles can crash into the slower vehicle before they can
slow down. For this reason, watch for slow-moving vehicles such as heavy trucks
or farm vehicles. If traffic is collecting behind you, it is wise to pull over to the
side of the road, stop and allow the vehicles to pass.
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
The most important rules about speed are:
• Never drive faster than the posted speed limit or at a speed that is unreasonable
or unwise given the existing conditions.
• Allow a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you (the “two-second
rule”).
• The faster you are moving, the farther ahead you must be able to see to allow
enough distance for stopping.
Conditions often change as you drive. You will drive through different areas
such as open country, residential communities and school zones. Watch for
changing conditions and adjust your speed accordingly.
Unless otherwise posted, the speed limit is 35 mph in cities and towns. Special
speed limits may be posted for special areas. To be a safe driver, you must often
drive slower than the posted limit, but you should not drive faster.
Maximum Speed Limits
In cities and towns 35
For school buses 45
For school activity buses 55
Outside cities and towns 55
For interstates 70
Rounding a Curve
The best way to handle a curve:
1. Slow down before you enter the curve so that you will not need to brake
while you are in the curve;
2. Gradually increase your speed to maintain the traction necessary for good
control of the vehicle as you round the curve;
3. If you must brake in the curve, apply the brakes gradually until you are sure
it is safe to keep continuous pressure on the brake pedal;
4. Begin to turn the vehicle just prior to the point where the road begins to
turn; and
5. Stay on your side of the road and drive as far to the right as you can.
If you encounter a curve while traveling downhill:
1. Consider the pull of gravity;
2. Shift to a lower gear before moving downhill; and
3. Begin to brake earlier and approach the curve more slowly than you would
on a level roadway.
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
Studies show that the vehicle moving at a speed considerably
below the posted limit is much more likely to cause or be involved
in a crash than the vehicle moving at a normal speed.
48 49
Turning
For right turns, stay close to the right
edge of the road, so that another
vehicle cannot move between your
vehicle and the curb. Reduce the
vehicle’s speed before making the
turn and then accelerate slightly.
Motorcycles and bicycles are
especially hard to see during a turn.
Always give the proper signal and
look before turning to make sure
that you can turn safely.
Following
Following too closely is a leading cause of traffic crashes. Maintain plenty
of space between your vehicle and the one ahead. If the vehicle ahead stops
suddenly, you will need time to react. On the open road, keep enough distance
between you and the vehicle ahead so that a passing vehicle can safely move into
and occupy the space. Remember to follow the “two-second rule.”
Changing Lanes
On a highway with multiple lanes of traffic, check the lane you are changing to,
as well as the lane beyond, to be certain that another vehicle is not planning to
move into the same space.
Passing
1. Look ahead and behind to determine when it is safe to pass.
2. If it is safe to pass, signal to alert the drivers ahead and behind you of your
intention so they can plan their moves accordingly.
3. Blow the horn to signal the driver ahead.
The horn signal places the driver of the vehicle you are passing under a legal
obligation to help you pass. While passing, be sure you have plenty of room and
keep a steady speed. You cannot pass safely unless you can see far enough ahead
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
The Two-Second Rule
The “two-second rule” says that you should allow two seconds
between the time the vehicle ahead of you passes a given point
and the time your vehicle reaches the same point.
Important rules about changing lanes:
• Check the side and rear-view mirrors;
• Check over your shoulder to be certain the blind spot is clear;
• Signal your intended movement in advance; and
• Proceed with changing lanes.
to ensure that you can get back to the original lane of travel before you meet
oncoming traffic. The law requires the passing driver to pass at least two feet to
the left of the vehicle being passed. You have not passed safely if the vehicle you
have passed must slow down to allow you back into your correct lane.
Places where passing is always unsafe and usually illegal:
• At intersections in cities and towns or at railroad crossings;
• At marked intersections in rural areas;
• On any curve or hill where the driver cannot see at least 500 feet ahead;
• Wherever there is a solid yellow line in the driver’s lane;
• Wherever there is a double-solid yellow line;
• At intersections or crosswalks where a vehicle has stopped to allow people to
cross the street; and
• Wherever the driver cannot see that the road is clear of traffic far enough
ahead to pass safely.
Passing on the right
Passing on the right is against the law except in areas where it is specifically
permitted. Passing on the right places your vehicle on the blind side of the
vehicle you are passing. The vehicle you are passing could unexpectedly make a
right turn or pull over to the right side of the road.
Exceptions where passing on the right is allowed:
• On highways having at least two lanes traveling in each direction;
• On one-way streets where all lanes of traffic move in the same direction;
• When passing a vehicle that is in the left-turn lane; and/or
• When driving in a lane set aside for right turns.
On three-lane highways, you must not pass except in the center lane, and then
only where the center lane is marked for passing in your direction. Exception:
When the vehicle in the center lane is making a left turn.
When your vehicle is being passed
When you are being passed, you are required to help the other driver to pass. If
the driver of the passing vehicle blows the horn, move to the right edge of the
road. Never increase your speed.
If you increase speed and fail to give way to a passing vehicle, you will be
charged with a misdemeanor if a crash occurs resulting in bodily injury or
property damage.
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
50 51
Backing
Parking
Always park on the right side of the road, except on one-way streets.
Before pulling out from a parallel parking space, check for approaching traffic
and give a left-turn signal, unless you are parked on the left side of a one-way
street.
If you are driving and notice that a vehicle ahead of you is pulling out from a
parallel parking space, slow down and be prepared to stop.
Places where you should not park:
• At an intersection or in front of a driveway;
• Within 25 feet of the curb line of an intersecting street or within 15 feet of
the intersecting right of way lines if there is no curb;
• On a crosswalk, sidewalk or bridge;
• Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or entrance to a fire station;
• On the paved or primary-travel portion of any highway — parking on the
shoulder is also against the law unless the parked vehicle can be seen by
approaching drivers from both directions for a distance of at least 200 feet;
• On the roadway side of another vehicle (double parking);
• Where there are “no-parking” signs;
• Within one block of a fire or fire truck in city limits or within 400 feet of a
fire or fire truck outside the city;
• Anywhere within the right of way of an interstate highway, except in
designated parking areas or in cases of emergencies; and
• Parking spaces designated for handicap/disabled use unless your vehicle
is displaying a handicap license plate or a disability parking placard. For
information about Americans with Disabilities Act, visit www.ada.gov.
Special Driving Situations
Interchanges, Intersections, Roads, Streets and Highways
Many intersections may have roads crossing each other at different levels.
These are interchanges and the method of turning at these specially designed
intersections may vary. As you approach an interchange, slow down and give
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
Rules to follow when backing your vehicle:
1. Before entering your vehicle, check behind it for small objects or
children — once you are in the driver’s seat, it is hard to see them;
2. To maintain a full view of what is behind the vehicle, steer with your
left hand and look over your right shoulder through the back window —
do not depend on mirrors alone or looking through the side window;
3. Back very slowly, not more than 10 mph — your vehicle is harder to
control and to stop when it is backing.
careful attention to the signs that direct you about how to
make the turn. An intersection is any place where two or
more roads meet or cross each other. Crashes occur most
frequently at intersections, and they are considered the most
dangerous places on a street or highway. More than one-third
of fatal traffic crashes involving motor vehicles occur at
intersections.
On four-lane highways separated by a median of more than
30 feet, each crossing constitutes a separate intersection.
The law requires that you slow down when you come to an
intersection, even if you have the right of way.
In intersections without traffic signs or signals, the right-of-way
rules state:
• The vehicle already in the intersection has the right of way
ahead of any vehicle that has not yet entered;
• When two or more vehicles reach an intersection at the
same time, the vehicle to the right has the right of way;
• A vehicle with the right-of-way may move straight ahead or,
if legal and after signaling, turn right or left; and
• Even with the right-of-way, be careful to avoid hitting other
vehicles and pedestrians.
When two facing vehicles approach an intersection at the same time, the right-of-
way rules are not much help. Both drivers can move straight ahead or turn
right. If one driver is going straight while the other wants to turn left, the driver
who wants to turn must wait. The driver who wants to turn left must give the
proper signal and wait until the turn can be made safely. Therefore, in this case,
the driver who is traveling straight ahead has the right of way. Never change
lanes while you are moving straight ahead through an intersection.
Right-of-Way at Intersections
When you approach an intersection with a stop sign, you must come to a
complete stop and yield to the traffic on the through-street. Do not move ahead
or turn until you can proceed safely.
Drive with caution at intersections with traffic signals and wait until the signal
permits you to turn or to move straight ahead.
When exiting a private driveway, stop and yield to all other vehicles and
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
TIP
Single-Point
Interchange
A single-point
interchange
compresses two
intersections into a
single intersection
over or under a
free-flowing road.
Through traffic
and traffic turning
left onto or off
the interchange,
is controlled by
a single set of
traffic signals.
The traffic signals
are located at the
center or top of
the interchange
and allow vehicles
to clear the
intersection more
quickly. These
interchanges
help move large
volumes of traffic
through limited
amounts of
space safely and
efficiently.
52 53
pedestrians. At unmarked intersections where it is hard to
see in all directions, stop and then move forward slowly and
cautiously.
Railroad Crossing Safety
A yellow and black “RR” sign indicates that you are
approaching a railroad crossing. As you approach the tracks,
look both ways and listen because you may have to stop.
Trains can approach a crossing at any time. If there is a stop
sign, you must come to a full stop before crossing.
A railroad crossbuck sign is used at the crossing itself. A
smaller sign below the crossbuck indicates if there is more
than one track. Many crossings have flashing red lights or
flashing red lights with gates. If the warning signal activates,
you must stop before the gates lower across your side of the
road. It is unlawful to move through a railroad crossing
when the gates are lowered.
Remember these railroad crossing rules:
• When flashing red lights are used with crossbuck signs at
the railroad crossing, you must stop, just as you would stop
for any flashing red traffic signal;
• If you are waiting for a train to pass, be patient;
• Do not proceed to move immediately after the train
has passed — there may be another train moving in the
opposite direction from or following the first train;
• Always wait until the red lights have stopped flashing before moving ahead;
• Be prepared to stop for vehicles that must stop at crossings, such as school
buses, motor vehicles carrying passengers, for-hire vehicles or vehicles
transporting explosives or hazardous materials (these vehicles are marked with
placard signs);
• If you happen to be crossing the tracks and the warning lights begin flashing
or gates start to come down, do not stop, KEEP MOVING. The warning
signals will allow enough time for you to finish driving through the crossing
before the train arrives. The gate on the far side of the tracks will not block
you in. If you stop and try to back up, your vehicle may stall;
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
TIP
Traffic
Circles and
Roundabouts
A traffic circle or
roundabout is a
specially designed
intersection. All
vehicles in a traffic
circle travel to
the right around
the circle in a
counterclockwise
direction until
you come to the
road or street
where you want
to turn. You leave
the traffic circle
by making a right
turn. If there is
more than one
lane in the circle,
be sure you are
in the outside
lane before you
come to the place
where you intend
to exit the circle.
Look and signal
before you turn
or change lanes.
Never make a
right turn from
an inside lane. An
entire traffic circle
is an intersection.
Vehicles already in
the circle have the
right of way.
As you approach a railroad crossing, you must:
• Slow your speed;
• Keep alert; and
• Watch for the railroad crossing signal.
Never move onto a railroad track unless
you are certain you can drive across safely.
• Crossing gates will not trap you, but stopping traffic might. Be sure the traffic
ahead of you will not stop and block you in on the tracks; and
• If your vehicle is blocked in or stalls on the railroad track, make sure everyone
vacates the vehicle immediately. Post a lookout in each direction of the track
to see if a train is approaching. If there is no train in sight, attempt to push
the vehicle clear of the tracks or to restart it (if stalled).
With rail traffic increasing throughout North Carolina, it is more important
than ever to practice safety at railroad crossings. Some trains require more than
a mile for stopping distance. Trains cannot stop quickly, but your vehicle can.
Bicycle Lanes
When a bicycle lane or bike path travels on or adjacent to the roadway, please
pay special attention to bicyclists as you approach and move through an
intersection. Because bicyclists ride to the right of motor vehicle traffic, the
potential exists for a crash between the bicyclist who is moving straight ahead
through the intersection and the motorist who is turning right.
City Driving
Driving in cities and towns can pose problems for some drivers. Traffic is often
heavy in urban areas. Watch for approaching traffic at side streets. When driving
in heavy traffic, be alert for drivers who make quick stops. To avoid a rear–end
crash by another vehicle, check your rear-view mirror often and stay aware of
dangerous situations that might exist behind you. If you intend to make a turn
and find that you are not in the proper lane, continue to the next intersection
and turn there.
Other rules to follow when driving in cities:
• Give yourself plenty of space to make decisions — leave a “margin of safety”
around your vehicle;
• Communicate your intended movements to other drivers;
• Watch the road far enough ahead of you to detect possibly dangerous
situations earlier and to take proper defensive actions;
• Avoid driving side-by-side, especially in another driver’s blind spot — if you
cannot see the inside rear-view mirror of the car ahead, you are probably in
the driver’s blind spot;
• Never “weave” in and out of traffic — stay in one lane if you can and plan
lane changes ahead of time;
• Give proper signal in advance before changing lanes;
• Be prepared to apply the brakes;
• Watch for parked vehicles that might be pulling out and pedestrians who
might dart onto the street from between parked vehicles. Parked vehicles can
also block your view of intersecting traffic, driveways and alleys; and
• On a one-way street, use the center lane(s) for through-travel and the outside
lanes for turning.
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
Remember, no vehicle is worth a life.
54 55
Open Roads
Rural highways can be narrow two-lane roads or multi-lane highways.
Driving on rural roads is often more dangerous than driving in heavy city
traffic because:
• the road may not be as wide;
• the lighting is often not as good; and/or
• the travel speeds may be higher.
• Stay alert for drivers who might be driving slower than the posted speed limit.
Secondary Roads
A paved secondary road is not always designed for heavy traffic or regular
highway speed. Most secondary roads are built for local transportation, and not
as main highways. On these roads, hills are likely to be steeper and curves are
likely to be sharper than on primary roads. Sight distances are often very short.
Secondary roads cannot be traveled safely at speeds that would be proper for
primary highways.
Interstate Highways
Interstate highways are safer roads because they have separate traffic lanes for
vehicles moving in opposite directions and fewer places where traffic can enter
and exit. Also, interstates do not have railroad crossings, sharp curves, stop signs
or traffic signals.
For information about North Carolina’s new toll roads, call the N.C. Quick Pass
office at 1-877-769-7277 or visit www.myncquickpass.com.
When driving on an interstate, follow these rules:
• Plan your trip in advance;
• Be sure to check the vehicle’s water, oil, tires and gas before leaving on your trip;
• Decide in advance where you must enter and exit the highway;
• When entering the interstate, use the acceleration lane until your vehicle’s
speed matches that of the other traffic and then merge safely;
• Keep to the right, use the left lane(s) for passing;
• Do not tailgate. Keep a safe following distance for the speed you are traveling
— one of the most frequent types of crashes on an interstate highway is the
rear–end crash — use the “two-second rule”;
• Remember that faster speeds require greater stopping distances and times;
• Stop at indicated rest areas frequently, preferably at least once every 100 miles;
• Never stop in the travel lane;
• If a vehicle breakdown forces you to stop, move far off the road. Tie a
white cloth on the radio aerial or left-door handle and raise the hood. If the
breakdown occurs at night, engage the vehicle’s emergency flashers or parking
lights. If you are a driver who spots a vehicle breakdown, immediately contact
the N.C. State Highway Patrol or local law enforcement; and
• When leaving the highway, signal your turn well in advance, and without
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
slowing down, enter the deceleration lane. Proceed at the posted exit speed
limit;
Traffic moves much faster on the interstate than on an ordinary highway. It is
dangerous to drive very far below the posted speed limit. Follow the flow of
traffic if you can do so without speeding. Crashes are more likely to occur when
a vehicle moves significantly slower than the flow of the traffic.
Entering and Exiting the Interstate
A dangerous error made by drivers on an interstate is to attempt to leave the
highway after missing an exit. If you miss an exit, do not slow down, back up or
try to turn around. Proceed to the next exit and leave the highway there instead.
Y

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2014 Driver Handbook
NCDOT.GOV/DMV C L A S S A THREE-POINT
TURNABOUT CHILD SAFETY WORK ZONE STAY ALERT
PROTECTING YOURSELF AND YOUR PASSENGERS
KEEP RIGHT SEAT BELTS ONE WAY TWO-SECOND RULE
STOP NO PASSING ZONE YIELD NO RIGHT TURN
SHARE THE ROAD
FENDER BENDER NO LITTERING
MOVE OVER
THINK BIKE NO-ZONE
DO NOT ENTER NO BICYCLES L E F T T U R N O N LY THRU & LEFT
ONE WAY NO U TURNS SIGNAL AHEAD LANE DROPDIVIDED
HIGHWAY DEER CROSSING MERGING TRAFFIC LOW CLEARANCE
RIGHT TURN FARM MACHINERY SIDE ROAD DIVIDED HIGHWAY
ENDS NO PASSING ZONE CURVE RIGHT HILL SLIPPERY WHEN WET
BIKE CROSSING STOP AHEAD WINDING ROAD SOFT
SHOULDER CROSS ROAD SCHOOL CROSSING
NCDOT.GOV/DMV C L A S S A THREE-POINT
TURNABOUT CHILD SAFETY WORK ZONE STAY ALERT
PROTECTING YOURSELF AND YOUR PASSENGERS
KEEP RIGHT SEAT BELTS ONE WAY TWO-SECOND RULE
STOP NO PASSING ZONE YIELD NO RIGHT TURN
SHARE THE ROAD
FENDER BENDER NO LITTERING
MOVE OVER
THINK BIKE NO-ZONE
DO NOT ENTER NO BICYCLES L E F T T U R N O N LY THRU & LEFT
ONE WAY NO U TURNS SIGNAL AHEAD LANE DROPDIVIDED
HIGHWAY DEER CROSSING MERGING TRAFFIC LOW CLEARANCE
RIGHT TURN FARM MACHINERY SIDE ROAD DIVIDED HIGHWAY
ENDS NO PASSING ZONE CURVE RIGHT HILL SLIPPERY WHEN WET
BIKE CROSSING STOP AHEAD WINDING ROAD SOFT
SHOULDER CROSS ROAD SCHOOL CROSSING
RIGHT TURN FARM MACHINERY SIDE ROAD DIVIDED HIGHWAY
ENDS NO PASSING ZONE CURVE RIGHT HILL SLIPPERY WHEN WET
BIKE CROSSING STOP AHEAD WINDING ROAD SOFT
SHOUNLDOER CRROTSSH RO ACD SAC HROOO LL CIRNO SAS I N G
DRIVER’S HANDBOOK
1
State of North Carolina
Department of Transportation
Division of Motor Vehicles
Dear Fellow Motorist:
As you earn your North Carolina driver license, you will be joining more than
seven million licensed drivers across the state. Your preparation and practice
will enable you to travel to places of uncommon beauty and diversity across
this state.
Remember, please, that you also are responsible for driving by the rules of
the road and for keeping vigil over other drivers and dangers around you. By
obeying the traffic laws and looking out for your fellow traveler, you can help
prevent the 214,000 crashes and 1,300 fatalities we have on our highways
each year.
This handbook was written to help prepare you for the driver license
examination. It offers valuable safe driving techniques which will help keep you
out of harm’s way. If you need additional assistance, contact your nearest driver
license office or go online to www.ncdot.gov/dmv.
Safe driving,
Pat McCrory
Governor
Anthony J. Tata
Secretary of Transportation
2 3
State of North Carolina
Department of Transportation
Division of Motor Vehicles
Dear Fellow Motorist:
When you earn the privilege of driving in North Carolina, you are responsible
for your life and the lives of others who travel our highways. As responsible
drivers, it is up to each of us to do our part to help make our roads safe for the
millions of citizens who travel them, whether by car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle
or foot.
Please use this driver handbook to learn and reinforce your safe and defensive
driving techniques. Make yourself familiar with the motor vehicle laws of our
state and the ways you can improve your driving.
As you prepare for the driver license examination, we invite you to contact
DMV or your nearest driver license office if you need additional assistance. You
can find the locations of North Carolina driver license offices and other helpful
information on our website at www.ncdot.gov/dmv.
Remember to drive safely and obey the rules of the road. With your help, we can
keep North Carolina’s highways safe.
Sincerely,
Kelly J. Thomas
Commissioner of Motor Vehicles
DMVdirectAccess
automated information by telephone
DMVdirectAccess is a convenient way to obtain information about driver licenses
and vehicle registration from the North Carolina Department of Transportation
(NCDOT) Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Dial (919) 715-7000 from a
touch-tone telephone, and access information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
DMVdirectAccess gives you the facts about:
• Driver licenses, learner permits, motorcycle license endorsements, commercial
driver licenses (CDLs) and special identification cards;
• Personalized information you should know about points against your driver
license, your driving record and the status of your driver license;
• Medical and vision forms, exam cycles, records and hearings;
• Vehicle registration, duplicate titles, lost or stolen license plates, personalized
and vanity license plates and handicapped placards; and
• Liability insurance and more.
DMVdirectAccess also includes information about driver license and vehicle
registration taxes and fees. By entering your zip code, the system can give you
the location of a driver license or vehicle registration office in your area.
DMV Information (919) 715-7000
Other DMV Telephone Listings:
Traffic Records Section. . (919) 861-3062
International Registration Plan (IRP) Section . (919) 861-3720
School Bus and Traffic Safety. . (919) 861-3109
4 5
DMV on the Web www.ncdot.gov/dmv
The NCDMV website focuses on providing North Carolina’s motorists with
timely and accurate information regarding NCDMV services and issues.
The site answers your most frequently asked questions and includes up-to-date
directories of all DMV offices statewide. A simple click of your mouse
allows you to e-mail us directly from the site. You will also find news about
new legislation and other requirements affecting North Carolina motorists.
Publications and forms are also available online.
Duplicate Driver License/Duplicate
Identification Card on the Web
A duplicate driver license/duplicate identification card may be requested online
at www.ncdot.gov/dmv, provided that DMV has your last image on file and
a valid social security number or a document issued by the United States
government indicating legal presence. Click “Online Services,” then click on
the “Duplicate Driver License/Duplicate Identification Card” link. A duplicate
driver license/identification card may be requested for the following reasons:
• To replace a lost or stolen license/identification card;
• To change a residence and/or mailing address; or
• To replace a license/identification card that is defaced or damaged.
A fee of $10 is charged. At the present time, a Mastercard, Discover or Visa credit
card or debit card may be used to pay the fee. A duplicate license/identification
card with the most recent photo available in our computer system will be mailed
to the customer. Customers with a suspended license or outstanding debt with
DMV are not eligible for this service.
Transportation Alternatives
For many North Carolinians, operating a vehicle may be too costly, inconvenient
or dangerous. The North Carolina Department of Transportation wants you to
know there are many transportation alternatives to driving. In our society,
we often overlook our options to walk, ride a bicycle, carpool and use public
transportation.
Public transportation could be your best alternative to driving. Some form
of public transportation is available in most areas of the state. In the larger
metropolitan areas, there are bus systems that operate on regular routes. Smaller
rural areas may provide coordinated van services for citizens. In either case,
public transportation is available and equipped to accommodate persons with
disabilities.
To learn more about public transportation options in your area, call:
N.C. Department of Transportation
Public Transportation Division
(919) 733-4713
Chapter 1 — Your License 7
Getting Your Original License..............................................................................7
Learner Permit.....................................................................................................7
Motorcycle Learner Permit...................................................................................7
Test Requirements for an Original Driver License................................................8
Vision, Traffic Signs, Driving Knowledge, Driving Skills, Health Requirements,
Skills observed and graded during the on-the-road driving test, Three-Point
Turnabout
Types of Licenses, Permits and Restrictions..........................................................9
Regular Licenses, Commercial Licenses, Endorsements, Graduated Licensing—
Licensing for Drivers 15–18, The Provisional Licensee,
Thinking of Dropping Out?, Lose Control/Lose Your License, Restrictions
Required Documents.........................................................................................14
Proof of Age and Identity, Social Security Number Requirement, Proof of Residency
in North Carolina, No Fee Voter ID Cards, No Fee ID Cards, ID Cards, Deferred
Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Proof of Insurance
Moving to North Carolina.................................................................................20
North Carolina’s Driver License and Identification Card...................................21
Renewal and Duplicate Licenses........................................................................21
Renewal, Renewal By Mail (Temporary License), Military, Duration and
Renewal of License, Duplicate, Address Changes, Name Changes
Identification Cards...........................................................................................24
Schedule of Fees.................................................................................................24
Other Services....................................................................................................25
Voter Registration, Organ Donor Program, Selective Service System Registration,
Requirements for Sex Offender Registration Program
Chapter 2 — Alcohol and the Law 26
Driving While Impaired.....................................................................................26
DWI Laws, Blood Alcohol Concentration Restrictions
Alcohol and the Young Driver ...........................................................................27
Chapter 3 — Your Driving Privilege 29
Points.................................................................................................................29
Driver License Points, Insurance Points
Suspensions........................................................................................................31
Out-of-State Conviction, Failure to Appear and/or to Pay a Fine,
Provisional Licensee (under age 18)
Driver License Restoration.................................................................................34
Chapter 4 — Your Driving 35
Driver Safety......................................................................................................35
Driver Condition, Drowsy Driving, Distracted Driving,
Protecting Yourself and Your Passengers.............................................................38
Seat Belts, Child Safety, Child Seats, Booster Seats and Seat Belts for Children,
Children and Air Bags, Child Safety Points, Adult Safety Points, North Carolina
Motorcycle Safety Helmet Law, Law on Transporting Children in the Back of a
Pick-up Truck, Weather Risk
Table of Contents
6 Table of Contents 7
General Driving.................................................................................................41
The Driver and Pedestrian, Protecting Motorcyclists from Unsafe Movements,
School Buses, Emergency and Law Enforcement Vehicles, Safe Driving Around
Farm Equipment, Funeral Processions
Basic Driving Skills and Rules............................................................................46
Driving on Your Side of the Road, Adjusting Your Speed to Driving Conditions,
Rounding a Curve, Turning, Following, Changing Lanes, Passing, Backing,
Parking, Special Driving Situations, Single Point Interchange, Traffic Circles and
Roundabouts,Vehicle Equipment
Defensive Driving..............................................................................................58
Scanning, Communicating, Hand Signals
Hazardous Driving.............................................................................................60
Work Zones, Night Driving, Sun Glare, Rain, Hydroplaning, Driving in Flood
Conditions, Fog, Snow and Ice
Emergencies.......................................................................................................64
Brake Failure, Wet Brakes, Gas Pedal Sticks, Blowouts, Breakdowns, Unusual
Emergencies, Skids
Crashes...............................................................................................................67
Chapter 5 — Signals, Signs and Pavement Markings 69
Traffic Signals.....................................................................................................69
Flashing Signals, Left-Turn Traffic Signal Heads
Traffic Signs.......................................................................................................71
Regulatory, Warning, Guide/Informational
Pavement Markings............................................................................................76
Traffic Officers...................................................................................................76
Chapter 6 — Sharing the Road 77
Bicycles..............................................................................................................77
Pass with Care, Go with the Flow, Be Visible
You as a Pedestrian.............................................................................................79
Trucks and Other Vehicles.................................................................................79
No-Zones
Recreational Vehicles and Trailers.......................................................................80
Motorcycles and Mopeds...................................................................................80
Keeping the Road Litter-Free.............................................................................82
Adopt-A-Highway Program
Chapter 7 — How DMV Serves You 84
DMV Mobile Service Centers............................................................................84
Driver Records...................................................................................................84
Fees
Vehicle Registration............................................................................................85
Insurance and Financial Responsibility, Vehicle Registration Renewal,
Transfer of a Motor Vehicle, Transfer of License Plates, Replacement of Lost Title
or Registration Card
Tag & Tax Together...........................................................................................88
Vehicle Inspection..............................................................................................88
Window Tinting
Chapter 1
Your License
Driving is a legal privilege and responsibility. It is against the law to drive a
motor vehicle on streets and highways without a valid driver license. It is also
illegal to sit in the driver’s seat of a motor vehicle while the engine is running or
to steer a motor vehicle while it is being pushed or towed by another vehicle if
you do not have a valid driver license.
Getting Your Original License
Driver license examiners throughout the state are trained to test fairly and to
give prompt and courteous service. Most offices offer services from 8:00 a.m.
to 5:00 p.m. In larger cities and towns, the offices are open Monday through
Friday, and some are open Saturday mornings. Offices in smaller towns may
only be open for certain days each week. Appointments for driver license
examinations are available at most offices. Written tests must be completed by
4:30 p.m. No driving skills test will be initiated after 4 p.m. Contact your local
driver license office for more information.
Learner Permit
• Learner permits are available to persons age 18 and older.
• A learner permit authorizes the permit holder to drive a specified type or class
of motor vehicle while in possession of the permit.
• The permit holder must, while operating a motor vehicle over the highways,
be accompanied by a person who is licensed to operate the motor vehicle
being driven and is seated beside the permit holder.
• Required testing includes vision, traffic signs, and knowledge of motor vehicle
laws.
Motorcycle Learner Permit
• If an applicant is at least 16 years old but less than 18 years old, the applicant
must possess a full provisional license issued by the division. Parent or
guardian’s signature is required.
• If an applicant is 18 years old or older, the applicant must possess a license
issued by the division.
• The motorcycle learner permit authorizes a person to operate a motorcycle
without passengers.
• If an applicant is less than 18 years old, the applicant must successfully
complete the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Rider Course or the North
Carolina Motorcycle Safety Education Program Basic Rider Course.
• Vision;
• Knowledge of motor vehicle
laws;
• Traffic signs; and
• Driving skill (on-road test).
For an original driver license of any type, you may be tested on:
Chapter 1 — Your License
8 9
• The motorcycle learner permit is valid for 12 months and may be renewed for
one additional six-month period.
• Required testing includes vision, traffic signs, and the motorcycle knowledge
test.
Each driver license test must be passed separately. Applicants for a CDL Class
A, B or C license should study the required chapters of the CDL Handbook.
Applicants for a motorcycle endorsement or motorcycle learner permit should
study the Motorcycle Handbook. The CDL Handbook is available from the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. You may also obtain the CDL,
Regular and Motorcycle handbooks on the DMV website and at the local driver
license offices. Visit the DMV website at www.ncdot.gov/dmv.
Test Requirements
for an Original Driver License
Vision
Whether you are applying for a learner permit, an original license or a renewal
license, your vision must be checked to see that you meet certain standards. If
you need corrective lenses to bring your vision up to the required standards, you
must wear the lenses at all times while driving and your license will indicate a
restriction that you must wear corrective lenses. The penalty for driving without
the proper corrective lenses is the same as driving without a license.
Traffic Signs
All the information on the traffic signs test is in this handbook. To pass the
signs test, you must identify the traffic signs by color and shape and explain
what each means.
Driving Knowledge
The knowledge test is about traffic laws and safe driving practices. Audio tests
are available, upon request, for those who have difficulty reading.
Driving Skills
The driving test is an on-the-road demonstration of your driving ability. You
must perform this test after you have passed all the other tests. The first time
you apply for a license, you must take the driving test. You might also have to
take it to renew your license. It is not required for a learner permit. No driving
skills test will be initiated after 4 p.m.
During the on-the-road test, you will be given an opportunity to perform basic
driving patterns and to show your ability to drive safely with traffic.
Health Requirements
Individuals may not be licensed if they suffer from a mental or physical
condition that might keep them from driving safely. A person with a disability
may be issued a restricted license provided the condition does not keep them
from driving safely.
Chapter 1 — Your License
Skills observed and graded during the
on-the-road driving test:
• Approaches to intersections, stop signs and traffic signals;
• Quick stops — stopping as quickly and safely as possible
when told to do so;
• Backing;
• Stopping, starting and parking;
• Use of the clutch (in vehicles with standard transmissions);
• Turn signals and use of the horn;
• Turning;
• Use of lanes;
• Following another vehicle;
• Passing and being passed;
• Yielding the right of way to pedestrians and other vehicles;
• Driving posture; and
• Three-point turnabout.
Applicants for an original driver license must take the on-the-road
driving test; however, there are some cases when the
on-the-road test may not be required. No driving skills test
will be initiated after 4 p.m.
Types of Licenses, Permits
and Restrictions
North Carolina has a regular driver license and a commercial
driver license (CDL). The type of vehicle you will operate determines the class
of driver license you must have and the type vehicle in which you must take
the driving skills test. The driving skills test must be performed in a vehicle
representative of the class license desired.
Regular Licenses
Class A: Required to operate a combination of vehicles that is exempt from
CDL requirements when the towed unit has a gross vehicle weight rating
(GVWR) of 10,001 pounds or more.
Class B: Required to operate any single vehicle that is exempt from CDL
requirements with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more, and any such vehicle
towing a vehicle with a GVWR not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
Class C: Required to operate any noncommercial single vehicle with a GVWR
of less than 26,001 pounds; and a vehicle towing a vehicle which has a
combined GVWR of less than 26,001 pounds operated by a driver 18 years old
or older. Most drivers need only a Regular Class C license to operate personal
automobiles and small trucks.
Chapter 1 — Your License
TIP
Three-Point
Turnabout
(1) Start from
the extreme right
side of the road.
Look for other
traffic and if clear,
give a left signal
and proceed
forward slowly
while turning the
steering wheel
to the left. Stop
within several
inches of the left
curb or edge of
the street.
(2) Then proceed
backward slowly
while turning the
steering wheel to
the right. Stop
within several
inches of the right
curb or edge of
the street.
(3) Proceed
forward slowly
while turning the
steering wheel
to the left. This
should complete
your turnabout.
10 11
Commercial Driver License (CDL)
A CDL is required for drivers, paid or volunteer, who drive the following types
of vehicles that are designed or used to transport passengers or property:
Class A Motor Vehicle: A vehicle that has a combined GVWR of at least
26,001 pounds and includes as part of the combination a towed unit that has a
GVWR of at least 10,001 pounds.
Class B Motor Vehicle:
• A single motor vehicle that has a GVWR of at least 26,001 pounds.
• A combination of motor vehicles that includes as part of the combination a
towing unit that has a GVWR of at least 26,001 pounds and a towed unit that
has a GVWR of less than 10,001 pounds.
Class C Motor Vehicle: A single or combination of motor vehicles not included
in Class A or B but meets any of the following descriptions:
• Is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver; and
• Is transporting hazardous materials and is required to be placarded.
You do not need a CDL to drive recreational vehicles, military equipment,
fire and/or emergency equipment or certain farm vehicles. However, a regular
license of the appropriate class is required at all times.
A volunteer member of a fire department, rescue or emergency service (EMS) in
the performance of duty may operate a Class A, B or C fire-fighting, rescue or
EMS vehicle, or combination of these vehicles while holding either a “Regular”
A, B or C License.
A special CDL endorsement is required to haul hazardous materials, transport
passengers, drive school buses and school activity buses, pull double trailers or
drive tank vehicles. Additional information is in the CDL Handbook.
Endorsements
Motorcycle
A person must have a level three full provisional license with a motorcycle
endorsement or a motorcycle learner permit before being entitled to operate a
motorcycle on public roads.
School Bus/School Activity Bus
The driver of a school bus must be at least 18 years of age, have at least six
months driving experience and hold either a Class B or Class C CDL with an
“S” (school bus) and a “P” (passenger) endorsement along with a School Bus
Driver’s Certificate. To obtain a School Bus Driver’s Certificate, a person must
be specially trained and pass an examination administered by a Driver Education
Program Specialist which demonstrates the fitness and competency required to
operate the bus. The requirements for a driver of a public school activity bus are
the same. The requirements for the driver of a school activity bus are the same
except a School Bus Driver’s Certificate is not required.
NOTE: Pursuant to G.S. 20-37.14A, the Division shall not issue or renew a
commercial driver license reflecting a “P” or “S” endorsement to anyone required to
register under sex offender and public protection registration programs.
Chapter 1 — Your License
Graduated Licensing—Licensing for Drivers 15–18
Limited Learner Permit
If you are at least 15 years of age and have completed an approved driver
education course that meets North Carolina requirements and can present a
Driving Eligibility Certificate (issued by the public school system), or a high
school diploma or its equivalent, you may apply for a Level One Limited
Learner Permit to operate vehicles requiring a Class C License.
• You must be at least 15 years old but less than 18 years old and reside in North
Carolina.
• You must pass written, sign and vision tests.
• During the first six months, a level one permit authorizes you to drive between
the hours of 5 a.m. and 9 p.m., while accompanied by your supervising driver.
• Six months from level one issuance, you are eligible to drive anytime with a
supervising driver.
• You must hold this permit for 12 months prior to applying for a Limited
Provisional License.
• You will be given a Driving Log to be completed detailing a minimum of
60 hours of operation. Daytime or daylight driving can be performed from
sunrise to sunset and as long as daylight exists. Nighttime or night driving can
be performed after sunset and within the hours that sunlight or daylight does
not exist.
• All passengers must be restrained by seat belt or child safety seat.
• No one except the driver and the supervising driver are allowed in the front seat.
• You are not permitted to use a mobile telephone or other additional technology
associated with a mobile telephone while operating a motor vehicle on a
public street or highway or public vehicular area. Exception: You can use it to
call the following regarding an emergency situation: an emergency response
operator; a hospital, physician’s office or a health clinic; a public or privately
owned ambulance company or service; a fire department; a law enforcement
agency; your parent, legal guardian or spouse.
Note: Before graduating to level two, you must have no convictions of motor
vehicle moving violations or seat belt/mobile telephone infractions within the
preceding six months.
Supervising Driver: A supervising driver must be a parent, grandparent or
guardian of the permit/license holder, or a responsible person approved by the parent
or guardian. A supervising driver must hold a valid driver license and must have
been licensed for at least five years.
Level Two Limited Provisional License
• Drivers must be at least 16 years old, but less than 18.
• You may drive without supervision from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m. and at any
time when driving directly to or from work or any volunteer fire, rescue or
emergency medical service, if you are a member.
• You must hold this license at least six months prior to applying for a Full
Provisional License.
Chapter 1 — Your License
12 13
• You will be given a Driving Log to be completed detailing a minimum of 12
hours of operation. At least six hours must occur during nighttime hours.
Daytime or daylight driving can be performed from sunrise to sunset and
as long as daylight exists. Nighttime or night driving can be performed after
sunset and within the hours that sunlight or daylight does not exist. The log
must be signed by the supervising driver and submitted to the Division at the
time of application for the Full Provisional License.
• All passengers must be restrained by seat belt or child safety seat.
• Supervising driver must be seated beside the driver.
• The number of passengers allowed in the vehicle under the age of 21 is
restricted to ONE when the driver of the vehicle is the holder of a level II,
OR if all passengers under the age of 21 are members of the driver’s immediate
family or members of the same household as the driver, there is no “under 21”
limit. If the supervising driver is in the car, this restriction does not apply.
• You are not permitted to use a mobile telephone or other additional technology
associated with a mobile telephone while operating a motor vehicle on a
public street or highway or public vehicular area. Exception: You can use it to
call the following regarding an emergency situation: an emergency response
operator; a hospital, physician’s office, or a health clinic; a public or privately
owned ambulance company or service; a fire department; a law enforcement
agency; your parent, legal guardian or spouse.
Note: Before graduating to level three, you must have no convictions of motor
vehicle moving violations or seat belt/mobile telephone infractions within the
preceding six months.
Supervising Driver: A supervising driver must be a parent, grandparent or
guardian of the permit/license holder, or a responsible person approved by the parent
or guardian. A supervising driver must hold a valid driver license and must have
been licensed for at least five years.
Level Three Full Provisional License
• The restrictions on level one and level two concerning time of driving,
supervision and passenger limitations do not apply to a Full Provisional
License.
• If you are under the age of 18, you are not permitted to use a mobile telephone
or other additional technology associated with a mobile telephone while
operating a motor vehicle on a public street or highway or public vehicular
area. Exception: You can use it to call the following regarding an emergency
situation: an emergency response operator; a hospital, physician’s office, or a
health clinic; a public or privately owned ambulance company or service; a
fire department; or a law enforcement agency; your parent, legal guardian or
spouse.
New Residents Between the Ages of 15 and 18 Years
If you are a new resident moving into North Carolina and are 15 but less than
18 years old and have a learner permit, a restricted license or an unrestricted
license, you should contact your local driver license office to determine which
type of license or learner permit you are eligible to apply for.
Chapter 1 — Your License
The Provisional Licensee
Drivers under age 18 are provisional licensees. Because these drivers have a much
higher crash rate, special laws apply to them. If you are a driver under age 18:
• You must present a certificate showing you have passed an approved driver
education course consisting of at least 30 hours classroom instruction and six
hours behind-the-wheel instruction that meets North Carolina requirements
before you can take the test for a learner permit or license.
• The DMV reviews your driving record more closely and may contact you if
you have certain types of traffic convictions or crashes.
• It is unlawful for a provisional licensee to drive a motor vehicle after or while
consuming any amount of alcohol or drugs — a conviction of such a violation
will result in a one-year license revocation.
• A parent or legal guardian must sign for a minor.
• You are not permitted to use a cellphone.
• You are not permitted to operate a vehicle while manually entering multiple
letters or text as a means of communicating or read any electronic mail or text
message.
• Every person occupying a vehicle in motion must have a safety belt properly
fastened when the vehicle is in motion.
Thinking Of Dropping Out?
Driver license applicants less than 18 years old must have a Driving Eligibility
Certificate, high school diploma or its equivalent to be eligible for a North
Carolina driving permit or license. The Driving Eligibility Certificate must be
signed by the applicant’s school administrator who certifies that the applicant is
currently enrolled in school and making progress toward a high school diploma;
or that substantial hardship would be placed on the applicant or the applicant’s
family if he or she does not receive a driver license. The steps in graduated
licensing must still be followed even if the Driving Eligibility Certificate is
issued due to hardship conditions. North Carolina does not issue a hardship
driving permit or license.
DMV must revoke the driver license of any person under age 18 when it receives
notice from the proper school authority that the person is no longer eligible
for a Driving Eligibility Certificate. This revocation remains in effect until
the person’s 18th birthday unless a Driving Eligibility Certificate, high school
diploma or GED Certificate is obtained.
Lose Control/Lose Your License
A loss of license will occur if a student receives a suspension for more than 10
consecutive days or receives an assignment to an alternative educational setting
due to disciplinary action for more than 10 consecutive days. This suspension
remains in effect for 12 months or until a Driving Eligibility Certificate is
obtained.
Restrictions
For safety reasons, a driver license may be limited or restricted. Examples:
Chapter 1 — Your License
14 15
• A driver may only be permitted to operate a motor vehicle while wearing
corrective lenses.
• A driver who passes the license examination may be issued a driver license
restricted to using equipment necessary to safely operate the motor vehicle.
If your license is restricted, you must only drive within the limits of the
restriction; otherwise you are considered to be driving without a license.
Required Documents
(Any Document Reflecting Alteration Will Not be Accepted)
Requirements are based on North Carolina General Statutes 20-7 and 20-11.
If you are applying for a driver license, a learner’s permit or an ID card for the
first time in North Carolina, you will need to provide proof of your full name
and date of birth, your NC residence address, provide your social security
number (SSN) or documentation indicating your legal presence in the U.S.
You will need to provide proof of vehicle liability insurance when applying for a
driver license. The insurance policy must reflect your name.
Applicants under Age 18 Applying for a Driver License
or Learner’s Permit:
If you are under age 18, you must provide either a Driving Eligibility Certificate,
proof of graduation from high school, or submit a GED. You must also provide
proof of completion of a driver education course which consists of 30 hours of
classroom instruction and 6 hours behind wheel instruction.
Table (1) - Proof of Age and Identity: You must provide proof of your age
and identity from the list of documents below. Two forms of identification
are required. Additional documents may be required if DMV is unable to
verify your identity. For acceptable documents for proof of a name change,
see Items 9 and 12 in the table below. If you are unable to provide Item 9 or
Item 12, you may complete an affidavit at DMV.
Note: The Division of Motor Vehicles may copy the documents presented or hold
the documents for a brief period of time to verify authenticity.
DOCUMENT DETAILS
1. Driver License or State-
Issued Identification Card
from another State, Puerto
Rico, a U.S. Territory, or a
Canadian Province
• A valid, unexpired DL/ID or
learner’s permit with a photo
• A driver license, learner’s permit
or ID card that reflects a photo
which has been expired less than
one year
• A valid driver license, learner’s
permit or ID card without a
photo
Chapter 1 — Your License Chapter 1 — Your License
DOCUMENT DETAILS
2. Certified birth certificate
issued by a government
agency in the U.S., Puerto
Rico, a U.S. territory, or
Canada or U.S. Report of
Consular Birth Abroad
Certified true copy, no photocopies
unless certified by issuing agency.
3. Original Social Security
Card
4. Tax forms that reflects your
full name and full SSN
W-2 or 1099
5. Motor Vehicle Driver’s
Record
• Certified NC Motor Vehicle
Record
• Non-Certified NC Motor
Vehicle Record
• Certified Out-of-State Motor
Vehicle Record
6. NC school transcript/
registration signed by a
school official, or diploma or
GED from an NC school,
community college or NC
university
Driver Education Certificates,
Driving Eligibility Certificates and
report cards are not accepted as
proof of identification.
7. Valid unexpired U.S.
military ID, including
DD-2, DD-214, or U.S.
Military Dependents Card,
U.S. Veteran Universal
Access Card
8. Valid, unexpired Passport
from any nation
9. Certified document from
a Register of Deeds or
government agency in the
U.S, Puerto Rico, U.S.
territories or Canada
Marriage certificate, divorce decree,
court document of name change
10. Limited Driving Privilege
issued by a NC court
Cannot be expired more than 1 year
11. Valid, unexpired documents
issued by DHS/USCIS
An expired immigration document
may be valid if accompanied by a
letter from USCIS extending the
expiration date (e.g. I-797)
16 17
DOCUMENT DETAILS
12. Court documents from U.S.
jurisdiction, Puerto Rico,
U.S. territories or Canada
• Divorce Decree
• Court order for change of name
or gender
• Adoption Papers
Table (2) - Social Security Number Requirements: To obtain a driver
license, learner’s permit, or ID card, you must provide a Social Security
Number (SSN). If you are not eligible for a SSN, you must provide
document(s) indicating your legal presence in the U.S. DMV will verify
your SSN with the Social Security Administration (SSA). If DMV is
unable to verify your SSN with the SSA, you may be required to present
documentation of your SSN. Documents that you may present as proof of
SSN include:
1. Social Security Card 5. Payroll record
2. 1099 Tax Form 6. Social Security Document
reflecting the SSN
3. W-2 Form 7. Military Record reflecting
the SSN
4. DD-214 8. Medicaid or Medicare Card
reflecting the SSN
By law, the DMV may disclose a Social Security number only as follows:
• For the purpose of administering driver license laws;
• To the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Child Support
Enforcement Program for the purpose of establishing paternity or child
support or enforcing a child support order;
• To the N.C. Department of Revenue for the purpose of verifying taxpayer
identity, and
• To the Office of Indigent Defense Services of the U.S. Judicial Department
for the purpose of verifying the identity of a represented client and enforcing
a court order to pay for the legal services rendered, and
• To each county jury commission for the purpose of verifying the identity of
deceased persons whose names should be removed from jury lists.
The Social Security number on an application will be kept confidential and
will not be printed on your driver license, learner permit or identification card.
Table (3) - Proof of Residency in North Carolina: All first-time
customers must show proof of their NC residence address. This is in
addition to showing proof of identity. One of the two forms of your identity
documents from Table (1) may reflect your NC residence address. You may
complete an affidavit at DMV if you are unable to provide a document
from the table below. Documents that you may present as proof of residency
that show your current NC address, include:
1. Any document issued by
this State or county, city, or
the federal government
6. Housing lease or contract,
mortgage statement,
property or income tax
statement
2. NC Vehicle Registration
Card or title
7. Preprinted financial
statement
3. NC Voter Precinct Card 8. School records
4. Military Orders/Documents 9. NC Vehicle insurance
policy
5. Utility bill or cable bill 10. Letter from homeless
shelter
Table (4) - No Fee Voter ID Cards: To obtain an ID card for voting
purposes, you will need to provide 2 forms of identification from the list of
acceptable documents in Table (1). If you are unable to provide two forms
of identification from the approved list of acceptable documents, DMV
will review documents that you have in your possession. Additionally, you
must be a registered voter. If you are not a registered voter, DMV will assist
you in completing your voter registration application. You will be provided
a receipt for your ID card upon request. Your receipt cannot be used for
voting purposes. Your ID card will be mailed to you.
1. If you are no longer a legal
presence customer, you
must provide proof of your
citizenship or naturalization
4. Must be a registered
voter or submit to a voter
registration application
process
2. You must sign a declaration
stating you do not have
photo ID acceptable under
GS 163-166.13
5. Provide proof of age and
identity (see Table 1)
3. Provide proof of NC
residency (see Table 3)
6. Provide a valid SSN
Chapter 1 — Your License Chapter 1 — Your License
18 19
Table (5) - No Fee ID Cards: To obtain an ID card at no cost, you will need
to provide 2 forms of identification from the list of acceptable documents in
Table (1). If you are unable to provide two forms of identification from the
approved list of acceptable documents, DMV will review documents that you
have in your possession. If you are homeless, you must provide proof from the
shelter where you reside. If you are legally blind, you must provide proof from
the American or North Carolina Council of the Blind. You will be provided
a receipt for your ID card upon request. Your ID card will be mailed to you.
1. Provide proof of age and
identity (see Table 1)
4. Provide proof of NC
residency (see Table 3)
2. Provide a valid SSN 5. If no SSN, proof of legal
presence in the U.S.
(see Table 8)
3. If you are formerly non-citizen,
you must provide
proof of your citizenship or
naturalization
6. You must be 70 years of age
or older, legally blind, have
a medical cancellation on
your driver license or you
must be homeless
Table (6) - ID Cards: To obtain an ID card, you will need to provide 2 forms
of identification from the list of acceptable documents in Table (1). If you
are unable to provide two forms of identification from the approved list of
acceptable documents, DMV will review documents that you have in your
possession. When your ID card is issued, you will be provided a receipt upon
request. Your ID card will be mailed to you.
1. Provide proof of age and
identity (see Table 1)
4. Provide proof of NC
residency (see Table 3)
2. Provide a valid SSN 5. If no SSN, proof of legal
presence in the U.S.
3. If you are formerly non-citizen,
you must provide
proof of your citizenship or
naturalization
6. The cost is $10
Table (7) – Proof of Legal Presence in the U.S.: To obtain a driver license,
learner permit or an identification card, you will need to show proof of legal
presence in the U.S. Based on your legal presence status; you may be required
to present multiple documents. You will also need to provide 2 forms of
identification from the list of acceptable documents in Table (1).
1. Permanent Resident Card
(I-551)
8. Waiver Traveler/Waiver
Business (WT/WB)
Admission Stamp
2. Machine-Readable
Immigrant Visa (MRIV)
with Temp I-551 Language
9. U.S. Passport or U.S.
Passport Card
3. Temporary I-551 Stamp on
Passport or I-94
10. Other Documents (Non-
Student) w/Alien Number
4. I-766 Employment
Authorization Card
11. I-220 B Order of
Supervision w/I-766 card
5. I-20 (F1,F2, M1, M2)
Certification with
I-94 Arrival/Departure
Document or Unexpired
Foreign Passport with CBP
Admission Stamp
12. I-512L Authorization for
Parole of an Alien into
the U.S. w/supporting
immigration document
(I-551, I-766 or I-94)
6. DS2019 (J1, J2)
Certification with
I-94 Arrival/Departure
Document or Unexpired
Foreign Passport with CBP
Admission Stamp
13. Unexpired Foreign Passport
w/CBP Admission Stamp
7. I-94 Arrival/Departure
Record – Electronic I-94
Table (8) – Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA): To obtain a
driver license, learner permit or an identification card, you will need to show
proof of legal presence in the U.S. Based on your legal presence status; you
may be required to present multiple documents. You will also need to provide
2 forms of identification from the list of acceptable documents in Table (1).
1. Employment Authorization
Document reflecting Category
C33
2. I-797 Notice of Action (Case
type I-821) Approval Notice
with valid “to and from” dates
Table (9) - Proof of Insurance: You will need to provide proof of liability
insurance coverage from a North Carolina-licensed insurance carrier.
Documents that you may present as proof of vehicle insurance include:
1. Form DL-123 from your
insurance agent
3. An insurance binder
2. Vehicle insurance policy
reflecting your name and the
issue and expiration dates
4. An insurance card with your
name, the policy number and
issue and expiration dates
Chapter 1 — Your License Chapter 1 — Your License
20 21
The N.C. General Assembly has enacted legislation to require some (but not
all) driver license applicants in North Carolina to submit proof of automobile
liability insurance coverage in order to obtain a North Carolina driver license.
Proof of liability insurance coverage applies to those:
• Applying for an original license, including transfers from out of state;
• Whose licenses are being restored after revocation or suspension; or
• Awarded a Limited Driving Privilege by the court.
Form DL-123, binders and certificates are valid only for 30 days from the
date of issuance. This does not apply to applicants who do not own currently
registered motor vehicles and who do not operate non-fleet private passenger
motor vehicles that are owned by other persons. In such cases it is required that
a certification of exemption (DL-123A) be signed at the driver license office.
The exemption restricts the driver to the operation of “Fleet Vehicles Only”. To
remove the restriction, the driver must pay a $10 duplicate fee and present proof
of financial responsibility.
Chapter 1 — Your License
If you must show proof of financial responsibility, and to avoid
inconveniences at the driver license office, obtain Form DL-123 from your
insurance agent or the driver license office in advance of your visit.
North Carolina’s Driver License and
Identification Card
Digital imaging is used to obtain and store customer photos and signatures. The
driver license/identification card is equipped with a bar code system that houses
customer data.
North Carolina issues driver licenses, learner permits and ID cards from a
central location. Customers who take required tests and have their photos made
at the local driver license office will receive a temporary driving certificate valid
for 20 days. Customers may keep their current license or ID card to use as a
photo ID until their new license is delivered by mail within 20 days.
Driver licenses may be renewed up to six months before a customer’s birthday.
Customers are encouraged to renew their license as early as possible to make
sure their new license arrives on time. Visit www.ncdot.gov/dmv for more
information.
DMV issues a vertical license/ID card to applicants under the age of 21. As
added protection, applicants under age 18 receive license/ID cards with two
color bars, red and yellow, next to their photo indicating their 18th and 21st
birthdays. Applicants under age 21 receive one red color bar indicating the date
they reach the age of 21.
Renewal and Duplicate Licenses
Renewal
The DMV will mail you a reminder card about 60 days before expiration of
your license listing the number of years it will be valid. The vision and traffic
sign recognition tests are always required for a license renewal. It is not necessary
to have the reminder card in order to renew your driver license. A driver license
may be renewed anytime within 180 days prior to expiration. If you do not
have your current or expired license at renewal, you will be required to show the
examiner two documents of identification as outlined.
Chapter 1 — Your License
Examples of nonresidents:
• Salesmen whose homes are in other states who travel through
North Carolina;
• Out-of-state college students who intend to return to their home states
upon completion of their education in North Carolina;
• Members of the armed forces stationed in North Carolina who intend to
return to their home states; and
• Spouses of nonresident members of the armed forces stationed in North
Carolina.
Moving to North Carolina
A new resident has 60 days after establishing residence to obtain a North
Carolina license or learner permit. If you hold a commercial driver license
from another jurisdiction and wish to maintain a commercial license, you must
apply for and receive a North Carolina commercial license within 30 days after
becoming a resident.
DMV shall not issue a driver license or identification card to an applicant who
has resided in this state for less than 12 months until the division has completed
a search of the National Sex Offender Public Registry (North Carolina General
Statute 20-9(i)).
A new resident applying for a Class C License is required to take the
following:
• Knowledge test (must be completed by 4:30 p.m.);
• Vision test;
• Traffic signs recognition test; and
• Driving skills test (if the examiner deems necessary). No driving skills test will
be initiated after 4 p.m.
A nonresident of North Carolina is, “Any person whose legal residence is in
a state, territory, or jurisdiction other than North Carolina or in a foreign
country.”
22 23
Renewal By Mail (Temporary License)
A resident of North Carolina who has been residing outside the state for at least
30 continuous days may also renew their license by mail. This is a temporary
license which expires 60 days after the person returns to North Carolina or on
the expiration date shown on the face of the license, whichever comes first. The
following requirements must be met:
• Must have a permanent North Carolina verifiable residence address.
• Must have a North Carolina driver license that has not expired more than one
year
• Must have a photo on file with DMV that was issued within the last five years
• NCDMV must have a record of your Social Security number or a document
issued by the United States government indicating legal presence
• A vision statement is required and will be provided
• A signed and dated National Sex Offender Affidavit is required and will be
provided
• Customer must not be older than 72 on the date of request to renew by mail
• The customer may renew by mail every other renewal cycle.
A commercial or a full provisional license cannot be renewed by mail.
Military
A resident of North Carolina who has is active duty Military residing outside
the state may also request for a driver license renewal by mail. The following
requirements must be met:
• Must have a permanent North Carolina verifiable residence address or if you
do not have a permanent North Carolina verifiable residence address you may
provide the address of a verifiable North Carolina host family
• Must Provide military orders and a copy of military identification card, both
front and back
• Driver license renewal may be made for more than one year prior to expiration
date when accompanied by military papers showing active duty status
• Must have a North Carolina driver license that has not expired by more than
two years
• Must have a photo on file with DMV that was issued within the last eight
years
• NCDMV must have a record of your Social Security number or a document
issued by the United States government indicating legal presence
• A vision statement is required and will be provided. A vision waiver can be
submitted for active duty military currently in a war zone (documentation
required)
• A signed and dated National Sex Offender Affidavit is required and will be
provided
• Customer must not be older than 72 on the date of request to renew by mail
Chapter 1 — Your License Chapter 1 — Your License
• A driver license with a military designation may be renewed no more than two
times during the license holder’s lifetime.
• Military spouse and dependents may also renew by mail.
• A dependent holding a full provisional driver license can upgrade to a Class
C driver license if their license has not been expired for more than one year
and they are 18 years of age. The customer will need to meet the issuance
requirements and complete the application.
A military customer does not need to go to a driver license office when they return
to North Carolina. They will not need to go in until time to renew their license.
Example: If the military customer returns to North Carolina in 2010 and his
license does not expire until 2014, the customer will not need to go into an office
for renewal until 2014.
Duration and Renewal of License
Your license will expire on your birthday depending upon your age at time of
issuance as shown below:
Age at Time of Issuance Duration
18–65 8 years
66 and older 5 years
* In no event shall a license expire later than the authorization for the
applicant’s legal presence in the United States.
Duplicate
If your license is not expired, suspended or cancelled, visit the nearest driver
license office and provide your driver license to apply for a duplicate. To
replace a lost or stolen license, you must show the examiner two documents of
identification approved by the DMV. This type of transaction may also be completed
online. (See page 4.)
Address Changes
If your address changes from the address on your driver license, you must notify
the division of the change within 60 days and obtain a duplicate license. If you
do not move, but your address changes due to a governmental action, you are
not in violation of this law. This type of transaction may also be completed online.
(See page 4.)
Name Changes
A person whose name changes from the name stated on a driver license must
notify the division of the change within 60 days after the change occurs and
obtain a duplicate driver license stating the new name. The Division of Motor
Vehicles confirms your name with the Social Security Online Verification
System; please visit your local Social Security Administration Office at least 24
hours before changing your name with DMV. Name changes can be completed
with:
24 25
• A certified marriage certificate issued by a governmental agency;
• Documented proof from the courts or the Register of Deeds establishing
that the name change was officially accomplished; or
• Execution of a notarized DL-101 (obtain this document from a DMV office)
All documentation must be provided by the appropriate government agency
of the United States, Puerto Rico, U.S. territories or Canada.
Identification Cards
Any resident of North Carolina can be issued a special identification card. You
will need the same documents as required for a driver license: proof of identity,
and residency, as well as the Social Security requirements. The fee for a special
identification card is $10. This fee is exempt for residents who are legally blind,
at least 70 years old, homeless or whose license has been cancelled for certain
medical reasons.
Chapter 1 — Your License
Schedule of Fees
Driver License
Application Fee N/A $30
Class A $4/yr.* $15/yr.*
Class B $4/yr.* $15/yr.*
Class C $4/yr.* $15/yr.*
Motorcycle Endorsement $1.75/yr.* $1.75/yr.*
(with regular issuance)
CDL Endorsements N/A $3/yr.*
Duplicate License $10 $10
Permits and Other Fees
Learner Permit $15 $15
Motorcycle Learner Permit $15 $15
Duplicate $10 $10
Special Identification Card $10
Restoration Fee $50
Driving Clinic Fee $50
Service Fee $50
DWI Restoration Fee $100
Graduated Licensing
Limited Learner Permit (Level 1) $15 N/A
Limited Provisional License (Level 2) $15 N/A
Full Provisional License (Level 3) $4 yr.* N/A
Temporary Permit $15 N/A
Duplicate $10 N/A
Note: *Fees are calculated on annual basis.
Type of Fee Regular CDL
Chapter 1 — Your License
Other Services
Voter Registration
You may register to vote or make changes to your current voter registration when
applying for a North Carolina driver license, learner permit or an identification
card.
Organ Donor Program
If you wish to be an organ donor, you may indicate your decision when you
apply for or renew your North Carolina driver license or ID card. Donors’
driver licenses and ID cards carry a heart symbol on the front of their
cards, representing their consent to be an organ and eye donor. It is highly
recommended that you discuss your wishes with your family and make sure they
are aware of your decision. For more information, visit www.DonateLifeNC.org
or www.DonateLife.net.
Selective Service System Registration
DMV is required to notify any male U.S. citizen or immigrant between the ages
of 18 and 25 who is applying for a driver license, commercial driver license or
ID card that his application for the license or ID card serves as his consent to
be registered with the Selective Service System (in compliance with the Military
Selective Service Act, 50 U.S.C. 453 (1948)).
Requirements for Sex Offender Registration Program
DMV must provide notice to each person applying for a driver license, learner’s
permit or identification card that, if the person is a sex offender, the person is
required by law to register with the sheriff ’s office in their county of residence.
DMV obtains reports from the National Sex Offender Public Registry. (North
Carolina General Statutes 20-9(i) and 20-37.7)
• If the person is a current registered sex offender in another state, DMV
will not issue a license, permit or ID card until the person submits proof of
registration with the sheriff ’s office.
• If the person is not registered in another state, DMV must require the person
to sign an affidavit and may issue the card applied for.
• If the national sex offender database is unavailable, DMV must require the
person to sign an affidavit and may issue the card applied for.
• If the Division accesses the National Sex Offender Public Registry and verifies
that the person is currently registered as a sex offender in North Carolina or
any other state, the Division shall not issue a Commercial Driver License with
a Passenger (P) or School Bus (S) endorsement.
26 Chapter 2 — Alcohol and the Law 27
Chapter 2
Alcohol and the Law
Everyone’s driving is impaired at a blood alcohol concentration, or BAC, of 0.08
percent, but many people are affected at much lower levels. Research shows that
the risk of being involved in a crash increases when the alcohol level is 0.05 percent,
and at 0.08 percent, the risk of causing a fatal crash is even greater.
Driving While Impaired
In 1983, the North Carolina General Assembly enacted the Safe Roads Act. This
act repealed all previous laws on drunk driving in North Carolina and replaced
them with a single offense of “Driving While Impaired–DWI.”
If an officer charges you with driving while impaired, you will be asked to take a
chemical test of your breath or blood. Refusal to perform any required test will
result in the immediate revocation of your driver license for at least 30 days and
an additional, minimum 12-month revocation by the DMV. In certain instances,
after six months of the willful refusal revocation has elapsed, the judge may issue a
limited driving privilege.
If your blood alcohol concentration test shows a BAC of 0.08 percent or more
(0.04 or more, if you are driving a commercial motor vehicle), your driving
privilege will be revoked immediately for a minimum of 30 days. Additionally,
the results of your chemical test or the fact that you refused to take the test will be
admissible as evidence in court.
DWI Laws:
• Allow enforcement agencies to set up road blocks to check for impaired drivers;
• Prohibit drivers from consuming any alcoholic beverage, including beer, while
driving;
• Prohibit the transport of an open container of any alcoholic beverage, including
in the passenger area of the car;
• Prohibit the possession of alcoholic beverages (open or closed) in the passenger
area of a commercial motor vehicle while upon any highway, street or public
vehicular area;
• Provide for different levels of severity of punishment based on the severity of the
offense;
• Require persons who are convicted of DWI for the second time to serve a jail
sentence;
• Attempt to punish DWI offenders, but also try to help them deal with problems
they may have with alcohol;
Driving while impaired can be proven in one of two ways:
• By proving the driver’s physical or mental fitness are appreciably
impaired by alcohol, drugs or a combination of both; or
• By proving the driver’s blood alcohol concentration is 0.08 percent or
more, or 0.04 or more, if you are driving a Commercial Motor Vehicle.
• Require that repeat DWI offenders or persons with high BACs be checked to see
if they have an alcohol problem;
• Require persons with lower BACs to attend alcohol safety schools; and
• Require anyone convicted of DWI to obtain a substance abuse assessment prior
to the reinstatement of driving privileges.
If you are convicted of DWI:
First conviction: Mandatory revocation of your driver license for a period of one
year.
Second conviction: Mandatory driver license revocation for a period of four years
when convicted of a prior offense which occurred within three years of the current
offense for which the license is being revoked.
Third conviction: Mandatory, permanent driver license revocation if at least one
of the prior convictions occurred within the past five years.
Fourth conviction: Mandatory permanent driver license revocation. The fourth
conviction is considered a felony if the three prior DWI convictions occurred
within the past seven years.
Blood Alcohol Concentration Restrictions
A blood alcohol concentration restriction will be required when a license is restored
following a suspension for DWI or when a Limited Driving Privilege is issued
following a DWI conviction.
On the first restoration, the alcohol concentration restriction will be 0.04. On a
second or subsequent restoration, the alcohol concentration restriction will be 0.00.
Additionally, if you are convicted of DWI in a commercial motor vehicle, driving
after consuming alcohol or drugs while under the age of 21 or felony death by
vehicle, the alcohol concentration restriction will be 0.00.
Furthermore, a conviction of Driving While Impaired with a BAC of 0.15 or more,
or another conviction within the past seven years, will require an ignition interlock
device to be installed on the vehicle.
Alcohol and the Young Driver
The legal age to purchase any alcoholic beverage in North Carolina is 21. It is
against the law for any person who is younger than 21 years of age to purchase or
to attempt to purchase alcohol.
The law requires a one-year driver license revocation upon conviction
for:
• Any underage person who attempts to purchase or purchases an alcoholic
beverage;
• Any underage person who aids or abets another who attempts to purchase or
purchases an alcoholic beverage;
If you are convicted of DWI while your license is revoked for an earlier
DWI conviction, the court may order your vehicle seized and sold.
Chapter 2 — Alcohol and the Law
28 29
• Any underage person who obtains or attempts to obtain alcoholic beverages by
using or attempting to use a fraudulent driver license or other ID or another
person’s driver license or ID; or
• Any person who permits his or her driver license or any other ID to be used by
an underage person to purchase or attempt to purchase an alcoholic beverage.
• Any person who gives an alcoholic beverage to any underage person.
DWI laws are subject to change pending legislation. For updates on laws that may
impact this section, visit www.ncleg.net.
If a driver who is less than 21 years old is convicted for an offense
of driving with any amount of alcohol or drugs in his/her body,
his/her license will be revoked for one year.
Chapter 2 — Alcohol and the Law Chapter 3 — Your Driving Privilege
Chapter 3
Your Driving Privilege
Points
Driver License Points
If you are convicted of certain motor vehicle violations in North Carolina, driver
license points are placed against your driving record. If you accumulate seven
points, you may be assigned to a driver improvement clinic. The clinic fee is
$50. Upon satisfactory completion of the clinic, three points are deducted from
your driving record. If you accumulate as many as 12 points within a three-year
period, your license may be suspended. The accumulation of eight points within
three years following the reinstatement of your license can result in a second
suspension.
If your driver license is suspended by the point system, it may be taken
for:
• 60 days for the first suspension;
• 6 months for the second; and
• 12 months for the third.
When your driving privilege is reinstated, all previous driver license points are
canceled. This does not pertain to insurance points.
Points are given for the following offenses:
Conviction Point Value
Passing a stopped school bus 5
Aggressive driving 5
Reckless driving 4
Hit and run, property damage only 4
Following too closely 4
Driving on wrong side of road 4
Illegal passing 4
Failure to yield right of way to pedestrian pursuant
to G.S. 20-158 (b) (2) b. 4
Failure to yield right of way to bicycle, motor scooter or motorcycle 4
Running through stop sign 3
Speeding in excess of 55 mph 3
Failure to yield right of way 3
Running through red light 3
No driver license or license expired more than one year 3
Failure to stop for siren 3
Driving through safety zone 3
30 Chapter 3 — Your Driving Privilege 31
No liability insurance 3
Failure to report accident where such report is required 3
Speeding in a school zone in excess of the posted school
zone speed limit 3
Failure to properly restrain a child in a restraint or seat belt 2
All other moving violations 2
Littering pursuant to G.S. 14-399 when the littering involves
the use of a motor vehicle 1
Schedule of point values for conviction of violations while
operating a commercial motor vehicle:
Conviction Point Value
Passing stopped school bus 8
Rail-highway crossing violation 6
Careless and reckless driving in violation of G.S.20-140(f ) 6
Speeding in violation of G.S. 20-141(j3) 6
Aggressive driving 6
Reckless driving 5
Hit and run, property damage only 5
Following too closely 5
Driving on wrong side of road 5
Illegal passing 5
Failure to yield right of way to pedestrian pursuant
to G.S. 20-158 (b) (2) b. 5
Failure to yield right of way to bicycle, motor scooter or motorcycle 5
Running through stop sign 4
Speeding in excess of 55 miles per hour 4
Failure to yield right of way 4
Running through red light 4
No driver license or license expired more than one year 4
Failure to stop for siren 4
Driving through safety zone 4
No liability insurance 4
Failure to report accident where such report is required 4
Speeding in a school zone in excess of the posted school zone
speed limit 4
Possessing alcoholic beverage in the passenger area of a commercial
motor vehicle 4
All other moving violations 3
Chapter 3 — Your Driving Privilege
Littering pursuant to G.S. 14-399 when the littering involves
the use of a motor vehicle 1
No points shall be assessed for convictions of the following offenses:
• Overload;
• Overlength;
• Overwidth;
• Overheight;
• Illegal parking;
• Carrying concealed weapon;
• Improper plates;
• Improper registration;
• Improper muffler;
• Improper display of license plates or dealer’s tags;
• Unlawful display of emblems and insignia
• Failure to display a current inspection certificate
Any person who commits an offense for which points may be assessed for
violations while operating a commercial motor vehicle may be assessed
double the amount of any fine or penalty authorized by statute.
Insurance Points
Insurance companies use a different point system to determine insurance
rates. If you have any questions concerning insurance points, contact your
insurance agent.
Suspensions
In addition to criminal penalties that the court might mandate, conviction of
certain traffic offenses will result in the loss of your driving privilege.
The DMV can also suspend your license for the following:
• Two convictions of speeding over 55 mph within a period of 12 months;
• One conviction of speeding over 55 mph and one conviction of reckless
driving within a year;
• A conviction of willful racing with another motor vehicle, whether it is
prearranged or unplanned;
Your driving privilege will be revoked for at least 30 days if you are
convicted of:
• Driving any vehicle more than 15 miles per hour over the speed limit, if
you are driving at a speed higher than 55 mph.
It will be taken for 60 days if you are convicted of:
• A second charge of speeding over 55 mph and more than 15 mph above
the speed limit within one year; or
• Speeding plus reckless driving on the same occasion.
32 Chapter 3 — Your Driving Privilege 33
• A suspended court sentence or part of a sentence mandating that you must
not operate a motor vehicle for a specified period of time; and/or
• A conviction for speeding over 75 mph, in certain cases
In cases like the above, the DMV may suspend your driving privilege as soon
as it receives the conviction report from the court. If your driving privilege is
revoked, you may have the right to a hearing in the judicial district where you
reside. To request a hearing, call or write to the DMV in Raleigh. You will be
notified by mail of the time and place for the hearing. At the hearing you may
state any facts that you think should entitle you to driving privileges or to a
reduction of the suspension period.
If you believe your driving privilege should not have been revoked and the
hearing gives you no help, you may appeal the DMV’s decision within 30 days
to the Superior Court of the county where you live. The court will review your
case to see if there were proper grounds for revoking your driving privilege.
Offense Suspension Time
Manslaughter 1 year
Death by vehicle 1 year
Manslaughter while under the influence of an
impairing substance Permanent
Assault with a motor vehicle 1 year
Failure to stop and give aid when involved in an accident 1 year
Speeding in excess of 55 mph and at least 15 mph over the legal
limit while attempting to avoid arrest 1 year
Prearranged racing with another motor vehicle on the highway *3 years
Watching, betting on or loaning a car for prearranged racing *3 years
Willful refusal to submit to a blood or breath alcohol test 1 year
Two charges of reckless driving committed within 12 months 1 year
Attempting to obtain a license or learner permit under false pretense 1 year
Failure to yield right of way when entering an intersection,
turning at a stop or yield sign, entering a roadway, upon
the approach of an emergency vehicle or at a highway
construction or maintenance area when the offense
results in serious bodily injury 90 days and $500
*When an officer finds that someone has loaned or is operating a motor
vehicle willfully in prearranged racing, he/she will seize the vehicle. If the
person is convicted, the court may order the vehicle sold at public auction.
NOTE: If the court makes a finding that a longer period of revocation is
appropriate, the division must revoke for two years.
Out-of-State Conviction
Convictions occurring outside North Carolina may result in your license
being suspended or revoked just as if the violations occurred in this state. If
a suspension occurs, the Division must notify you by correspondence of the
effective date of the suspension.
Failure to Appear and/or to Pay a Fine
When the division receives notification that you failed to appear in court or pay
court fines for a citation received in North Carolina or another state, you will
be notified of the effective date of the revocation if not paid prior to the date
indicated on the correspondence. The revocation will remain in effect until
the division is notified by the court that the citation or fine has been complied
with and may result in you having to pay appropriate fees to DMV to obtain
a duplicate license. Complying with the citation does not relieve you of the
consequences for the actual offense if convicted.
Provisional Licensee (under age 18)
There are other rules that apply to persons under 18 years of age. If you are a
provisional licensee, your license may be suspended for:
• 30 days, upon conviction of a second moving violation occurring within a
12-month period;
• 90 days, upon conviction of a third moving violation occurring within
a 12-month period; and
• Six months, upon conviction of a fourth moving violation occurring within a
12-month period.
Chapter 3 — Your Driving Privilege
Some examples of moving violations:
• Passing a stopped school bus;
• Reckless driving;
• Hit-and-run;
• Following too closely;
• Driving on the wrong side of the road;
• Illegal passing;
• Running through a stop sign or red light;
• Failure to yield right of way;
• Failure to stop for an emergency siren; and
• Speeding.
34 35
Driver License Restoration
North Carolina law requires that a restoration fee of $50 be paid to the DMV
before a suspension or revocation can be cleared. (This fee is not required if the
license was taken for medical or health reasons following a medical evaluation.)
A $100 restoration fee is required when the revocation results from a DWI
conviction. Also, a service fee of $50 is required upon restoration of a revoked
or suspended driver license unless the license was surrendered to the court or
mailed to the DMV before the effective date of the suspension or revocation.
For the reinstatement of your driving privilege:
1. Visit any driver license office;
2. Provide proof of identity, i.e., driver license or two (2) other acceptable
forms of i.d.;
3. Pay a restoration and/or service fee;
4. Reapply for a driver license;
5. Take required tests, if applicable, and
6. Provide proof of insurance if required.
Chapter 3 — Your Driving Privilege
Chapter 4
Your Driving
Good driving skills should be developed and practiced at all times. You should
also know your physical and mental limitations and not drive a vehicle when
you are too tired or sleepy. When traveling long distances, plan ahead, know
your route and be alert to the driving conditions. Your ability to safely operate
a motor vehicle may save your life as well as the lives of others.
Driver Safety
Driver Condition
Your driving is affected by your physical and mental health. To obtain a driver
license, you must be in good health. If you have health problems that are serious
and long term in nature, they will likely come to the attention of the DMV.
More often, health problems are short term, like suffering from colds, headaches
or flu. You should remember that any time you are not feeling well, your driving
is likely to be different. You may be less alert and less responsive than normal.
Drowsy Driving
According to the National Safety Foundation (NSF), your number one
responsibility is to get yourself and your passengers to your destination safely.
When behind the wheel, you always need to be alert and focused on the job of
driving. At 55 mph, a vehicle travels the length of a football field in 3.7 seconds.
This is no time for a “mini” snooze. On the roads more traveled, being an
attentive driver and looking out for the one who isn’t, is increasingly important.
Drive focused. Stay safe.
Drowsy driving causes more than 100,000 crashes each year, resulting in 40,000
injuries and 1,550 deaths. Sadly, these numbers represent only the tip of the
iceberg since drowsy driving is seriously under-reported, according to the NSF.
The NSF reports that crashes caused by drowsy driving are often serious and
occur most often on high-speed rural highways when the driver is alone.
Drowsy driving could happen to anyone. Some warning signs include:
• You cannot remember the last few miles driven.
• You hit a rumble strip or drift from your lane.
• You yawn repeatedly.
• You have difficulty focusing or keeping your eyes open.
Tips to Prevent Drowsy Driving:
• Get a full night of rest before driving. If you become tired while driving, stop.
A short nap (15 to 45 minutes) and consuming caffeine can help temporarily.
• Stop regularly when driving long distances. Get out of the car at least every 2
hours to stretch and walk briskly.
• Try to set a limit of 300-400 miles of driving per day.
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
36 Chapter 4 — Your Driving 37
• Avoid taking medications that cause drowsiness.
• If you are tired and in danger of falling asleep, you cannot predict when a
“mini” sleep may occur. A driver cannot react to road dangers when tired.
Getting enough sleep will not only help you feel better, it can save your life.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away
from the primary task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger and
bystander safety. These types of distractions include:
• Texting
• Using a cell phone
• Eating and drinking
• Talking to passengers
• Grooming
• Reading, including maps
• Using a navigation system
• Watching a video
• Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player
Distractions
No matter what the distraction, inattentive drivers exhibit similar behavior.
Distractions cause drivers to react more slowly to traffic conditions or
events, such as a car stopping to make a turn or pulling out from a side
road. Inattentive drivers fail more often to recognize potential hazards such
as pedestrians or debris in the road. Also, distractions make it more difficult
to conduct preventive or evasive moves to avoid a crash because many
distractions force a driver to take at least one hand off the steering wheel.
Cell Phones
Cell phones can be a lifesaver in an emergency; however, they also can be
distracting. Below are North Carolina laws and reminders to help you avoid
letting the cell phone become a deadly distraction:
• It is unlawful to use a cell phone for email or text messages while operating a
vehicle on a public street or highway or public vehicular area;
• Drivers less than 18 years of age are not permitted to use a cell phone or any
additional technology associated with a cell phone while operating a motor
vehicle on a public street or highway or public vehicular area while the vehicle
is in motion. Exceptions: calling 911 in an emergency;
• No person shall operate a school bus on a public street or highway or public
vehicular area while using a cell phone or any other technology associated
with a mobile device;
• Use your cell phone only if it is absolutely necessary and for the sole purpose
of communicating regarding emergency situations or contacting parent, legal
guardian or spouse;
• If you must use your phone, do so at a safe time and place;
• Ask a passenger in the car to place the call for you and, if possible, speak in
your place;
• Do not feel like you must answer the phone when it rings. Let someone leave
a message and you can return the call when you are stopped at a safe location;
• Secure your phone in the car so that it does not become a projectile in a crash.
Medications
Prescriptions and over-the-counter medications can affect your driving. Before
you take any medication, find out how it will affect you. Try to do as little
driving as possible while taking any type of medication. If you must drive, be
especially careful. You may not be as alert as usual.
Alcohol
Alcohol reduces your ability to drive safely. No one drives as well after drinking
alcohol, even though some people may look and act as though they are
unaffected.
About 38 percent of all traffic fatalities involve alcohol.
Alcohol affects most areas of your brain, so the effects are wide-ranging and
impossible to compensate. Alcohol is a depressant. This means alcohol:
• Slows brain functions so that you cannot respond to situations, make
decisions or react quickly.
• Reduces your ability to judge how fast you are moving or your distance from
other cars, people or objects.
• Gives you false confidence — you may take greater risks because you think
your driving is better than it really is.
• Makes it harder to do more than one thing – while you concentrate on
steering, you could miss seeing traffic lights, cars entering from side streets or
pedestrians.
• Affects your sense of balance - very important if you ride a motorcycle.
• Makes you sleepy.
The only thing that sobers up a drinker is time. Coffee, a big meal or cold
showers will not work.
Do not drink and drive.
• Plan ahead and arrange alternative transport.
• Share a taxi with friends.
• Use public transportation.
• Stay overnight at a friend’s place.
• Ride with a driver who has not been drinking.
• Arrange for a friend or relative to give you a ride.
(Source: National Safety Foundation)
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
38 39
Protecting Yourself and Your Passengers
No one can be completely protected from being in a crash. You cannot predict
what other drivers will do.
Seat Belts
The driver and all passengers in a motor vehicle manufactured with seat belts
shall have a seat belt properly fastened about his or her body at all times when
the vehicle is in forward motion on a street or highway in this state. Children
under age 16 should be in an age and weight appropriate restraint. Under the
seat belt law, all occupants MUST wear seat belts even if the vehicle is equipped
with air bags. If the vehicle is equipped with automatic shoulder harnesses, the
lap belt MUST also be worn.
Child Safety
Each year hundreds of North Carolina children are seriously injured or killed in
automobile crashes. In fact, the number one threat to the lives of young children
is the automobile accident. Only crash-tested child safety seats can reduce these
tragedies. Since small children cannot make safety choices for themselves, adults
must make sure children are protected every time they ride in cars. Infants and
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
During an average lifetime of driving, we face about a one-in-three
chance of being seriously injured or killed in a motor vehicle crash.
Exemptions to the seat belt law:
• A driver or occupant of a noncommercial motor vehicle with a medical
or physical condition that prevents appropriate restraint by a seat belt
or with a professionally certified mental phobia against the wearing of
vehicle restraints;
• A motor vehicle operated by a rural letter carrier of the United States
Postal Service while performing duties as a rural letter carrier, and a
motor vehicle operated by a newspaper delivery person while actually
engaged in delivery of newspapers along the person’s specified route;
• A driver or passenger frequently stopping and leaving the vehicle or
delivering property from the vehicle if the speed of the vehicle between
stops does not exceed 20 miles per hour;
• Any vehicle registered and licensed as a property-carrying vehicle while
being used for agricultural purposes in intrastate commerce.
• A motor vehicle not required to be equipped with seat belts by law; and
• Any occupant of a motor home other than the driver and front seat
passengers, provided the motor home has at least four of the following
facilities: cooking, refrigeration or icebox, self-contained toilet, heating
or air-conditioning, portable water supply system with a faucet and sink,
separate 110-115-volt electrical power supply or an LP gas supply.
• Situations where all seating positions equipped with child passenger
restraint systems or seat belts are occupied;
small children must be placed in safety seats that are specially designed for them
and have been crash-tested. Properly used safety seats could save seven out of
every 10 children who are killed while unrestrained. Always read and follow the
manufacturer’s instructions for using the safety seat. The best seat for your child
is a safety seat that is used every time the child rides in a car. It must fit in your
car(s) and have a harness or shield system that is comfortable for the child. The
seat should be one you are able and willing to use every time an infant or small
child rides in your car. Safety seats are often available through low-cost rental
programs operated by local service groups, hospitals and health departments.
Child Seats
Every driver transporting one or more passengers younger than 16 years of
age must make sure that each passenger under age 16 is properly secured in
a child passenger restraint system or a seat belt which meets the federal safety
standards that were in effect at the time it was manufactured. A child under
age 8 and weighing less than 80 pounds must be properly secured in a weight
appropriate child passenger restraint system. If the vehicle is equipped with an
active passenger-side front air bag and the vehicle has a rear seat, then a child
under age 5 and weighing less than 40 pounds must be properly secured in the
rear seat unless the child restraint system is designed for use with a front air bag
system. If there are no available seating positions in the vehicle equipped with
a lap and shoulder belt to properly secure the weight appropriate child restraint
system, a child under age 8 and between 40 and 80 pounds can be restrained by
a properly fitted lap belt only.
For information about child safety seats, contact:
University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center
Bolin Creek Center
730 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Chapel Hill, NC 27514-5738
Booster Seats and Seat Belts for Children
Booster seats that meet federal motor vehicle safety standards should be used for
children who have outgrown their standard safety seats until they are big enough
for seat belts. Adult seat belts should not be used for children until they are big
enough for the seat belt to fit correctly. The lap seat belt must fit snugly across
the child’s hips, not across the stomach. The shoulder portion of a lap/shoulder
belt must fall across the shoulder and chest, not across the face or throat. For
shoulder belts that do not fit, belt-positioning booster seats designed to raise a
child up for a proper fit of the lap and shoulder belts are readily available.
Children and Air Bags
Air bags save lives. They work best when everyone is buckled and children are
properly restrained in the back seat. Children riding in the front seat can be
seriously injured or killed when an air bag comes out in a crash. An air bag
is not a soft, billowy pillow. To do its important job, an air bag comes out of
the dashboard at up to 200 miles per hour — faster than the blink of an eye.
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
Phone: 1-800-672-4527 (in NC only)
or (919) 962-2202
40 41
The force of an air bag can hurt those who are too close to it. Drivers can help
prevent air bag-related injuries to adults and children by following critical safety
points.
Child Safety Points:
• Children age 12 and under should ride buckled up in a rear seat; and
• Infants in rear-facing child safety seats should NEVER ride in the front seat
of a vehicle with a passenger-side air bag. Small children should ride in a rear
seat in child safety seats approved for their age and size.
Adult Safety Points:
• Everyone should buckle-up with both lap and shoulder belts on every trip. Air
bags are supplemental protection devices;
• The lap belt should be worn under the abdomen and low across the hips. The
shoulder portion should come over the collarbone away from the neck and
cross over the breastbone. The shoulder belt in most new cars can be adjusted
on the side pillar to improve fit; and
• Driver and front passenger seats should be moved as far back as practical,
particularly for shorter-statured people.
North Carolina Motorcycle Safety Helmet Law
All operators and passengers on motorcycles and mopeds must wear a
motorcycle safety helmet of a type that complies with Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard (FMVSS) 218.
What to look for in a legal helmet:
• A thick inner liner which includes a firm inner liner of polystyrene
foam that is about one inch thick. In some helmets this may be covered
by a comfort liner, but you can feel the thickness. (Non-compliant helmets
normally contain no liner or a thin soft foam padding.)
• A DOT sticker which will show the symbol “DOT” permanently installed
by the manufacturer on the back of the helmet. (Some “novelty type” helmets
are supplied with a separate “DOT” sticket or one can be purchased separately
and placed on the helmet by the motorcyclist. This does not make this a
compliant helmet.)
• A manufacturer’s label which is permanently attached in the interior of
the helmet by the manufacturer that includes the manufacturer’s name or
identification, precise model, size, month and year of manufacture, type of
shell and liner construction materials and an instruction label for cleaning
and care of the helmet.
Law on Transporting Children in the Back of a
Pick-up Truck
North Carolina law prohibits children less than age 16 from riding in the open
bed of a pick-up truck. (NCGS §20-135.2B) An open bed or open cargo area
is a bed or cargo area without permanent overhead restraining construction.
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
The operator of the vehicle having an open bed or open cargo is responsible for
compliance with this law. The statute does, however, contain some exemptions.
The provisions for proper securement of children do not apply:
• If an adult is present in the bed or cargo area of the vehicle and is supervising
the child;
• If the child is secured or restrained by a seat belt manufactured in compliance
with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, installed to support
a load strength of not less than 5,000 pounds for each belt, and of a type
approved by the Commissioner;
• If an emergency situation exists;
• If the vehicle is being operated in a parade; or
• If the vehicle is being operated in an agricultural enterprise including
providing transportation to and from the principal place of the enterprise.
Violators are issued tickets and are subject to a fine of $25. Violations of this law
are defined as “infractions” and do not incur court costs, driver license points
or insurance surcharges.
Weather Risk
It is dangerous and deadly to leave children and/or animals in a vehicle. During
the spring and summer months, after sitting in the sun, with even a slightly
opened window, the temperature can rise rapidly inside a parked vehicle. The
temperature inside a vehicle can rise approximately 40-50 degrees higher than
the outside temperature. Dehydration, heat stroke and death can result from
overexposure to the heat. During winter months, snow can block a car’s exhaust
pipe, and warming up a car can cause carbon monoxide to back up into the
car. Carbon monoxide is an invisible gas that has no smell, taste or color but is
poisonous, even deadly.
General Driving
The Driver and Pedestrian
When you are driving, always yield right of way to pedestrians:
• At intersections without traffic signals, pedestrians have the right of way if
they are in marked crosswalks or in unmarked crosswalks formed by imaginary
lines extending from the sidewalks across the streets;
• At intersections controlled by ordinary traffic signals, pedestrians must obey
the same signals as drivers traveling in the same direction. Pedestrians should
not start to cross during a red or yellow signal;
• When crossing with a green signal, pedestrians have the right of way over all
vehicles, including those turning across the paths of the pedestrians; and
• If a traffic signal changes to yellow or red while any pedestrian remains in the
street, drivers must allow the pedestrian to complete the crossing safely.
• The law gives a blind pedestrian special consideration at an intersection where
there are no traffic signals when the pedestrian extends a white cane, or a white
cane with a red tip or has a guide dog.
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
42 43
At some intersections, special signals instruct pedestrians either to “Walk” or
“Don’t Walk”. When these signals are operating, pedestrians must obey them
rather than regular traffic signals.
• Pedestrians crossing with special pedestrian signals have the right of way just
as they do while crossing with a green light.
• If you are moving through an intersection with a green signal and a pedestrian
starts to cross in your path against the red signal, give a warning with your
horn.
The law requires drivers to use the horn whenever a pedestrian may be affected
by a turn, stop or start from a parked position. If the pedestrian does not stop,
the driver must. Saving a pedestrian’s life is always worth the driver’s lost right
of way. The safe driver yields right of way to a pedestrian whether the pedestrian
is entitled to it or not.
Protecting Motorcyclists From Unsafe Movements
If a vehicle driver does not properly signal vehicle movements to a motorcycle
operator and causes the motorcycle to change lanes or leave the roadway, the
vehicle driver will be charged and fined as the law provides. If these actions
result in a crash causing property damage or personal injury, the driver will be
charged and fined as the law provides.
School Buses
The maximum speed limit for a school bus is 45 mph. School bus drivers travel
more than half a million miles and transport almost three quarters of a million
children each school day. During the hours that
school buses are operating (generally 7 – 9 a.m. and
2 – 4 p.m.), drivers should be especially careful. When
a school bus displays its mechanical stop signal or
flashing red lights to receive or discharge passengers,
the driver of any other vehicle approaching the school
bus must stop and not attempt to pass the school
bus until the mechanical stop signal is withdrawn,
the flashing red lights are turned off and the bus has
started to move.
Children waiting for the bus or leaving the bus might dart out into traffic.
Even when the school bus is not in sight, children at a bus stop sometimes will
run into the street unexpectedly. Always be careful around school buses and
school bus stops.
Below are specific rules for a variety of situations involving stopped school buses:
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
Two-lane roadway: When school bus stops for
passengers, all traffic from both directions must
stop.
Emergency and Law Enforcement Vehicles
Police cars, ambulances, fire engines and rescue vehicles with flashing lights and
sirens always have the right of way.
Follow these guidelines when approaching or being approached by an emergency
vehicle:
• As the emergency vehicle approaches (from ahead or behind), drive to the
right-hand curb or edge of the road and stop completely;
• Remain stopped until the emergency vehicle has passed, or until directed to
move by a traffic officer;
• Do not park within 100 feet of an emergency vehicle that has stopped to
investigate an accident or to give assistance;
• Do not drive or park closer than one block from fire trucks responding to a
fire alarm;
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
All vehicles, regardless of direction of travel, must yield right of way
to an approaching emergency vehicle. This does not apply to vehicles
traveling in the opposite direction of the emergency vehicle(s) when
traveling on a four-lane limited-access highway with a center median.
Roadway of four lanes or more with a
center turning lane: When school bus stops
for passengers, only traffic following the bus
must stop.
Divided highway of four lanes or more with
a median separation: When school bus stops
for passengers, only traffic following the bus
must stop.
Two-lane roadway with a center turning lane:
When school bus stops for passengers, all traffic
from both directions must stop.
Four-lane roadway without a median
separation: When school bus stops for
passengers, all traffic from both directions must
stop.
44 45
• Never drive a motor vehicle over a fire hose.
When approaching any authorized emergency vehicle (police, fire department,
ambulance, rescue squad or public service vehicle that is being used to assist
motorists or law enforcement officers with wrecked or disabled vehicles) that
is parked or standing within 12 feet of the roadway with the emergency or
warning lights activated, a driver is required to do the following:
• On a highway with at least two lanes of traffic in the same direction you are
traveling, you must move your vehicle into a lane that is not the lane nearest
the parked or standing emergency vehicle and continue traveling in that lane
until safely clear of the emergency vehicle.
• On a highway with only one lane of traffic in the same direction you are
traveling, you must slow your speed and drive at a reduced, safe speed until
completely past the emergency vehicle.
Suggested procedures for motorists when stopped by law enforcement
officers:
• On a standard dual-lane highway, ALWAYS pull to the right and off the travel
portion of the highway;
• On a highway, with two or more lanes of traffic in the same direction, a driver
should pull his vehicle onto the most feasible shoulder of the highway in a safe
manner;
• Upon bringing the vehicle to a stop the driver should remain seated in the
vehicle and place the vehicle in the “parked” position, preferably with the
vehicle in the “off ” position. With power locks and windows more prevalent,
the engine may have to be left running. Activate the vehicle’s hazard lights or
emergency flashers;
• If at night, activate the vehicle’s interior lights;
• Turn off your car radio. This will assist in communicating with the officer;
• Place both hands on the steering wheel while the officer is approaching the
vehicle;
• The passengers should place their hands in their lap or on their knees, in order
to allow the officer a clear view of the vehicle; and
• Once the officer approaches the vehicle, lower your window so you can
communicate with the officer.
• Do not talk on your cell phone;
• Do not move around in the vehicle, reach under the seats or enter the glove
box or center console while the officer is approaching the vehicle. Basically,
refrain from unnecessary movement; and
• Do not exit the vehicle or have other parties exit the vehicle unless instructed
by the officer.
Officers understand and take into consideration many factors when stopping
drivers. In some cases the violator may continue to drive a short distance
until they reach the first “safe haven” or well-lit area as determined by the law
enforcement officer. This distance is based upon the violation committed or the
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
law enforcement officer’s observation of the motorist’s driving ability. When
proceeding to the first “safe haven” or well-lit area, the vehicle’s hazard lights or
emergency flashers should be activated.
Safe Driving Around Farm Equipment
The agricultural industry is one of the largest employers in North Carolina.
Slow-moving agricultural equipment can be found in all parts of the state,
including suburban areas. Caution should be taken when sharing the road with
farm equipment.
Most of the crashes that involve farm equipment occur on a clear day, during
daylight hours, and/or on a dry surface that is paved. Typical crashes with farm
equipment include sideswipes and angle crashes.
These types of crashes typically occur while farm equipment is turning left and
another vehicle attempts to pass. In some cases, a machinery operator uses a left-hand
signal, and drivers may mistake this as a sign for them to pass. When the
farm machinery slows to make the turn, the vehicle following attempts to pass
and crashes with the equipment.
When sharing the road with farm equipment, you must obey the rules of the
road. It is illegal and very dangerous to pass farm equipment in a no passing
zone. Farm equipment may be wider than what is visible from behind and may
require ample space in both lanes. Furthermore, it may also be difficult to see
traffic approaching in the opposite direction.
The key to safety when sharing the road with farm equipment is to be patient.
If farm equipment is causing a delay in traffic, the operator should move off the
road at the nearest practical location and allow the traffic to pass. This is the only
advisable time to pass farm equipment on public roads.
During the harvesting and planting seasons, farmers work longer hours and are
often on the road in the early morning and evening hours. Farm equipment is
required to have one front white light as well as a rear red light that is visible for
up to 500 feet. Two red reflectors that are at least four inches in diameter can
replace the rear red light.
Remember, when approaching farm equipment the closure time is much
quicker because of the slow speed of the equipment. Always approach farm
equipment with care.
Farm equipment is legally entitled to travel on most roads in North Carolina,
except interstates.
Funeral Processions
• Every vehicle in a funeral procession must have its headlights on, and the
hazard warning signals must also be on, if so equipped.
• The operator of the lead vehicle must comply with all traffic-control signals.
But when the lead vehicle has crossed the intersection in accordance with the
traffic-control sign or signal, or when directed to do so by a law enforcement
officer or funeral director, or when being led by a law enforcement vehicle,
all vehicles in the funeral procession may proceed through the intersection
without stopping, while using extra care towards other vehicles or pedestrians.
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
46 47
• All vehicles in a funeral procession must be driven on the right side of the road
and shall follow the vehicle ahead as closely as reasonable and prudent.
• The driver of a vehicle going in the opposite direction as a funeral procession
may yield to the procession. If the driver chooses to yield, the driver must
do so by reducing speed, or by stopping completely off the roadway so that
drivers of other vehicles proceeding in the opposite direction of the procession
can continue to travel without leaving their lane of traffic.
• The driver of a vehicle traveling in the same direction as the funeral procession
shall not pass or attempt to pass the funeral procession, except that the
operator of such a vehicle may pass a funeral procession when the highway has
been marked for two or more lanes of moving traffic in the same direction of
the funeral procession.
• The driver of a vehicle shall not knowingly drive between vehicles in a funeral
procession. When a funeral procession is proceeding through a red light, the
driver of a vehicle that is not in the procession shall not enter the intersection
even if facing a green light, unless it can be done safely and without crossing
the path of the procession.
Basic Driving Skills and Rules
Driving on Your Side of the Road
The law requires you to drive on the right side of the road. Driving on the left
side is legal only in some cases, such as on one-way streets and while passing.
When you are moving slower than the posted speed limit on a multi-lane
highway, drive in the extreme right lane unless you are passing, turning left or
avoiding an obstruction.
Adjusting Your Speed to Driving Conditions
The speed at which you drive determines the distance required to stop your
vehicle. Stopping distance also depends on your reaction time. Stopping
distances are longer at higher speeds because a vehicle travels farther during the
driver’s reaction time, and it takes more braking distance to come to a full stop.
Even with ideal conditions, if you are traveling 55 miles per hour your vehicle
requires approximately 211 feet to stop completely.
Driving at a high speed is dangerous because each additional mile traveled per
hour reduces the driver’s ability to control the vehicle. Speed also increases the
likelihood that a crash will result in serious injury or death. On the other hand,
driving below the posted speed limit can also be dangerous. If you must drive
slower, you should still observe the posted minimum speed limit. At places
where it is unsafe to pass, the slow driver forces other drivers to creep along
behind or take unnecessary risks while trying to pass. Very slow driving is
especially dangerous just after you have passed the crest of a hill or rounded a
curve. Faster-moving vehicles can crash into the slower vehicle before they can
slow down. For this reason, watch for slow-moving vehicles such as heavy trucks
or farm vehicles. If traffic is collecting behind you, it is wise to pull over to the
side of the road, stop and allow the vehicles to pass.
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
The most important rules about speed are:
• Never drive faster than the posted speed limit or at a speed that is unreasonable
or unwise given the existing conditions.
• Allow a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you (the “two-second
rule”).
• The faster you are moving, the farther ahead you must be able to see to allow
enough distance for stopping.
Conditions often change as you drive. You will drive through different areas
such as open country, residential communities and school zones. Watch for
changing conditions and adjust your speed accordingly.
Unless otherwise posted, the speed limit is 35 mph in cities and towns. Special
speed limits may be posted for special areas. To be a safe driver, you must often
drive slower than the posted limit, but you should not drive faster.
Maximum Speed Limits
In cities and towns 35
For school buses 45
For school activity buses 55
Outside cities and towns 55
For interstates 70
Rounding a Curve
The best way to handle a curve:
1. Slow down before you enter the curve so that you will not need to brake
while you are in the curve;
2. Gradually increase your speed to maintain the traction necessary for good
control of the vehicle as you round the curve;
3. If you must brake in the curve, apply the brakes gradually until you are sure
it is safe to keep continuous pressure on the brake pedal;
4. Begin to turn the vehicle just prior to the point where the road begins to
turn; and
5. Stay on your side of the road and drive as far to the right as you can.
If you encounter a curve while traveling downhill:
1. Consider the pull of gravity;
2. Shift to a lower gear before moving downhill; and
3. Begin to brake earlier and approach the curve more slowly than you would
on a level roadway.
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
Studies show that the vehicle moving at a speed considerably
below the posted limit is much more likely to cause or be involved
in a crash than the vehicle moving at a normal speed.
48 49
Turning
For right turns, stay close to the right
edge of the road, so that another
vehicle cannot move between your
vehicle and the curb. Reduce the
vehicle’s speed before making the
turn and then accelerate slightly.
Motorcycles and bicycles are
especially hard to see during a turn.
Always give the proper signal and
look before turning to make sure
that you can turn safely.
Following
Following too closely is a leading cause of traffic crashes. Maintain plenty
of space between your vehicle and the one ahead. If the vehicle ahead stops
suddenly, you will need time to react. On the open road, keep enough distance
between you and the vehicle ahead so that a passing vehicle can safely move into
and occupy the space. Remember to follow the “two-second rule.”
Changing Lanes
On a highway with multiple lanes of traffic, check the lane you are changing to,
as well as the lane beyond, to be certain that another vehicle is not planning to
move into the same space.
Passing
1. Look ahead and behind to determine when it is safe to pass.
2. If it is safe to pass, signal to alert the drivers ahead and behind you of your
intention so they can plan their moves accordingly.
3. Blow the horn to signal the driver ahead.
The horn signal places the driver of the vehicle you are passing under a legal
obligation to help you pass. While passing, be sure you have plenty of room and
keep a steady speed. You cannot pass safely unless you can see far enough ahead
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
The Two-Second Rule
The “two-second rule” says that you should allow two seconds
between the time the vehicle ahead of you passes a given point
and the time your vehicle reaches the same point.
Important rules about changing lanes:
• Check the side and rear-view mirrors;
• Check over your shoulder to be certain the blind spot is clear;
• Signal your intended movement in advance; and
• Proceed with changing lanes.
to ensure that you can get back to the original lane of travel before you meet
oncoming traffic. The law requires the passing driver to pass at least two feet to
the left of the vehicle being passed. You have not passed safely if the vehicle you
have passed must slow down to allow you back into your correct lane.
Places where passing is always unsafe and usually illegal:
• At intersections in cities and towns or at railroad crossings;
• At marked intersections in rural areas;
• On any curve or hill where the driver cannot see at least 500 feet ahead;
• Wherever there is a solid yellow line in the driver’s lane;
• Wherever there is a double-solid yellow line;
• At intersections or crosswalks where a vehicle has stopped to allow people to
cross the street; and
• Wherever the driver cannot see that the road is clear of traffic far enough
ahead to pass safely.
Passing on the right
Passing on the right is against the law except in areas where it is specifically
permitted. Passing on the right places your vehicle on the blind side of the
vehicle you are passing. The vehicle you are passing could unexpectedly make a
right turn or pull over to the right side of the road.
Exceptions where passing on the right is allowed:
• On highways having at least two lanes traveling in each direction;
• On one-way streets where all lanes of traffic move in the same direction;
• When passing a vehicle that is in the left-turn lane; and/or
• When driving in a lane set aside for right turns.
On three-lane highways, you must not pass except in the center lane, and then
only where the center lane is marked for passing in your direction. Exception:
When the vehicle in the center lane is making a left turn.
When your vehicle is being passed
When you are being passed, you are required to help the other driver to pass. If
the driver of the passing vehicle blows the horn, move to the right edge of the
road. Never increase your speed.
If you increase speed and fail to give way to a passing vehicle, you will be
charged with a misdemeanor if a crash occurs resulting in bodily injury or
property damage.
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
50 51
Backing
Parking
Always park on the right side of the road, except on one-way streets.
Before pulling out from a parallel parking space, check for approaching traffic
and give a left-turn signal, unless you are parked on the left side of a one-way
street.
If you are driving and notice that a vehicle ahead of you is pulling out from a
parallel parking space, slow down and be prepared to stop.
Places where you should not park:
• At an intersection or in front of a driveway;
• Within 25 feet of the curb line of an intersecting street or within 15 feet of
the intersecting right of way lines if there is no curb;
• On a crosswalk, sidewalk or bridge;
• Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or entrance to a fire station;
• On the paved or primary-travel portion of any highway — parking on the
shoulder is also against the law unless the parked vehicle can be seen by
approaching drivers from both directions for a distance of at least 200 feet;
• On the roadway side of another vehicle (double parking);
• Where there are “no-parking” signs;
• Within one block of a fire or fire truck in city limits or within 400 feet of a
fire or fire truck outside the city;
• Anywhere within the right of way of an interstate highway, except in
designated parking areas or in cases of emergencies; and
• Parking spaces designated for handicap/disabled use unless your vehicle
is displaying a handicap license plate or a disability parking placard. For
information about Americans with Disabilities Act, visit www.ada.gov.
Special Driving Situations
Interchanges, Intersections, Roads, Streets and Highways
Many intersections may have roads crossing each other at different levels.
These are interchanges and the method of turning at these specially designed
intersections may vary. As you approach an interchange, slow down and give
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
Rules to follow when backing your vehicle:
1. Before entering your vehicle, check behind it for small objects or
children — once you are in the driver’s seat, it is hard to see them;
2. To maintain a full view of what is behind the vehicle, steer with your
left hand and look over your right shoulder through the back window —
do not depend on mirrors alone or looking through the side window;
3. Back very slowly, not more than 10 mph — your vehicle is harder to
control and to stop when it is backing.
careful attention to the signs that direct you about how to
make the turn. An intersection is any place where two or
more roads meet or cross each other. Crashes occur most
frequently at intersections, and they are considered the most
dangerous places on a street or highway. More than one-third
of fatal traffic crashes involving motor vehicles occur at
intersections.
On four-lane highways separated by a median of more than
30 feet, each crossing constitutes a separate intersection.
The law requires that you slow down when you come to an
intersection, even if you have the right of way.
In intersections without traffic signs or signals, the right-of-way
rules state:
• The vehicle already in the intersection has the right of way
ahead of any vehicle that has not yet entered;
• When two or more vehicles reach an intersection at the
same time, the vehicle to the right has the right of way;
• A vehicle with the right-of-way may move straight ahead or,
if legal and after signaling, turn right or left; and
• Even with the right-of-way, be careful to avoid hitting other
vehicles and pedestrians.
When two facing vehicles approach an intersection at the same time, the right-of-
way rules are not much help. Both drivers can move straight ahead or turn
right. If one driver is going straight while the other wants to turn left, the driver
who wants to turn must wait. The driver who wants to turn left must give the
proper signal and wait until the turn can be made safely. Therefore, in this case,
the driver who is traveling straight ahead has the right of way. Never change
lanes while you are moving straight ahead through an intersection.
Right-of-Way at Intersections
When you approach an intersection with a stop sign, you must come to a
complete stop and yield to the traffic on the through-street. Do not move ahead
or turn until you can proceed safely.
Drive with caution at intersections with traffic signals and wait until the signal
permits you to turn or to move straight ahead.
When exiting a private driveway, stop and yield to all other vehicles and
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
TIP
Single-Point
Interchange
A single-point
interchange
compresses two
intersections into a
single intersection
over or under a
free-flowing road.
Through traffic
and traffic turning
left onto or off
the interchange,
is controlled by
a single set of
traffic signals.
The traffic signals
are located at the
center or top of
the interchange
and allow vehicles
to clear the
intersection more
quickly. These
interchanges
help move large
volumes of traffic
through limited
amounts of
space safely and
efficiently.
52 53
pedestrians. At unmarked intersections where it is hard to
see in all directions, stop and then move forward slowly and
cautiously.
Railroad Crossing Safety
A yellow and black “RR” sign indicates that you are
approaching a railroad crossing. As you approach the tracks,
look both ways and listen because you may have to stop.
Trains can approach a crossing at any time. If there is a stop
sign, you must come to a full stop before crossing.
A railroad crossbuck sign is used at the crossing itself. A
smaller sign below the crossbuck indicates if there is more
than one track. Many crossings have flashing red lights or
flashing red lights with gates. If the warning signal activates,
you must stop before the gates lower across your side of the
road. It is unlawful to move through a railroad crossing
when the gates are lowered.
Remember these railroad crossing rules:
• When flashing red lights are used with crossbuck signs at
the railroad crossing, you must stop, just as you would stop
for any flashing red traffic signal;
• If you are waiting for a train to pass, be patient;
• Do not proceed to move immediately after the train
has passed — there may be another train moving in the
opposite direction from or following the first train;
• Always wait until the red lights have stopped flashing before moving ahead;
• Be prepared to stop for vehicles that must stop at crossings, such as school
buses, motor vehicles carrying passengers, for-hire vehicles or vehicles
transporting explosives or hazardous materials (these vehicles are marked with
placard signs);
• If you happen to be crossing the tracks and the warning lights begin flashing
or gates start to come down, do not stop, KEEP MOVING. The warning
signals will allow enough time for you to finish driving through the crossing
before the train arrives. The gate on the far side of the tracks will not block
you in. If you stop and try to back up, your vehicle may stall;
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
TIP
Traffic
Circles and
Roundabouts
A traffic circle or
roundabout is a
specially designed
intersection. All
vehicles in a traffic
circle travel to
the right around
the circle in a
counterclockwise
direction until
you come to the
road or street
where you want
to turn. You leave
the traffic circle
by making a right
turn. If there is
more than one
lane in the circle,
be sure you are
in the outside
lane before you
come to the place
where you intend
to exit the circle.
Look and signal
before you turn
or change lanes.
Never make a
right turn from
an inside lane. An
entire traffic circle
is an intersection.
Vehicles already in
the circle have the
right of way.
As you approach a railroad crossing, you must:
• Slow your speed;
• Keep alert; and
• Watch for the railroad crossing signal.
Never move onto a railroad track unless
you are certain you can drive across safely.
• Crossing gates will not trap you, but stopping traffic might. Be sure the traffic
ahead of you will not stop and block you in on the tracks; and
• If your vehicle is blocked in or stalls on the railroad track, make sure everyone
vacates the vehicle immediately. Post a lookout in each direction of the track
to see if a train is approaching. If there is no train in sight, attempt to push
the vehicle clear of the tracks or to restart it (if stalled).
With rail traffic increasing throughout North Carolina, it is more important
than ever to practice safety at railroad crossings. Some trains require more than
a mile for stopping distance. Trains cannot stop quickly, but your vehicle can.
Bicycle Lanes
When a bicycle lane or bike path travels on or adjacent to the roadway, please
pay special attention to bicyclists as you approach and move through an
intersection. Because bicyclists ride to the right of motor vehicle traffic, the
potential exists for a crash between the bicyclist who is moving straight ahead
through the intersection and the motorist who is turning right.
City Driving
Driving in cities and towns can pose problems for some drivers. Traffic is often
heavy in urban areas. Watch for approaching traffic at side streets. When driving
in heavy traffic, be alert for drivers who make quick stops. To avoid a rear–end
crash by another vehicle, check your rear-view mirror often and stay aware of
dangerous situations that might exist behind you. If you intend to make a turn
and find that you are not in the proper lane, continue to the next intersection
and turn there.
Other rules to follow when driving in cities:
• Give yourself plenty of space to make decisions — leave a “margin of safety”
around your vehicle;
• Communicate your intended movements to other drivers;
• Watch the road far enough ahead of you to detect possibly dangerous
situations earlier and to take proper defensive actions;
• Avoid driving side-by-side, especially in another driver’s blind spot — if you
cannot see the inside rear-view mirror of the car ahead, you are probably in
the driver’s blind spot;
• Never “weave” in and out of traffic — stay in one lane if you can and plan
lane changes ahead of time;
• Give proper signal in advance before changing lanes;
• Be prepared to apply the brakes;
• Watch for parked vehicles that might be pulling out and pedestrians who
might dart onto the street from between parked vehicles. Parked vehicles can
also block your view of intersecting traffic, driveways and alleys; and
• On a one-way street, use the center lane(s) for through-travel and the outside
lanes for turning.
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
Remember, no vehicle is worth a life.
54 55
Open Roads
Rural highways can be narrow two-lane roads or multi-lane highways.
Driving on rural roads is often more dangerous than driving in heavy city
traffic because:
• the road may not be as wide;
• the lighting is often not as good; and/or
• the travel speeds may be higher.
• Stay alert for drivers who might be driving slower than the posted speed limit.
Secondary Roads
A paved secondary road is not always designed for heavy traffic or regular
highway speed. Most secondary roads are built for local transportation, and not
as main highways. On these roads, hills are likely to be steeper and curves are
likely to be sharper than on primary roads. Sight distances are often very short.
Secondary roads cannot be traveled safely at speeds that would be proper for
primary highways.
Interstate Highways
Interstate highways are safer roads because they have separate traffic lanes for
vehicles moving in opposite directions and fewer places where traffic can enter
and exit. Also, interstates do not have railroad crossings, sharp curves, stop signs
or traffic signals.
For information about North Carolina’s new toll roads, call the N.C. Quick Pass
office at 1-877-769-7277 or visit www.myncquickpass.com.
When driving on an interstate, follow these rules:
• Plan your trip in advance;
• Be sure to check the vehicle’s water, oil, tires and gas before leaving on your trip;
• Decide in advance where you must enter and exit the highway;
• When entering the interstate, use the acceleration lane until your vehicle’s
speed matches that of the other traffic and then merge safely;
• Keep to the right, use the left lane(s) for passing;
• Do not tailgate. Keep a safe following distance for the speed you are traveling
— one of the most frequent types of crashes on an interstate highway is the
rear–end crash — use the “two-second rule”;
• Remember that faster speeds require greater stopping distances and times;
• Stop at indicated rest areas frequently, preferably at least once every 100 miles;
• Never stop in the travel lane;
• If a vehicle breakdown forces you to stop, move far off the road. Tie a
white cloth on the radio aerial or left-door handle and raise the hood. If the
breakdown occurs at night, engage the vehicle’s emergency flashers or parking
lights. If you are a driver who spots a vehicle breakdown, immediately contact
the N.C. State Highway Patrol or local law enforcement; and
• When leaving the highway, signal your turn well in advance, and without
Chapter 4 — Your Driving
slowing down, enter the deceleration lane. Proceed at the posted exit speed
limit;
Traffic moves much faster on the interstate than on an ordinary highway. It is
dangerous to drive very far below the posted speed limit. Follow the flow of
traffic if you can do so without speeding. Crashes are more likely to occur when
a vehicle moves significantly slower than the flow of the traffic.
Entering and Exiting the Interstate
A dangerous error made by drivers on an interstate is to attempt to leave the
highway after missing an exit. If you miss an exit, do not slow down, back up or
try to turn around. Proceed to the next exit and leave the highway there instead.
Y